Dee Nishimine, D.D.S., Inc.
Sophia Y. Tseng, D.M.D.
Periodontics & Dental Implants
Call: (559)229-6557

What is a Periodontist?

Drs. Dennis Nishimine, Dee Nishimine & Sophia Tseng are periodontists  who specializes in the treatment of the gums and the underlying jawbone which support your teeth.  This also includes the use of dental implants to replace missing teeth. First they have graduated from an accredited dental school before undertaking an additional three years of study within a periodontology residency training program, in order to qualify as a periodontist.

The primary focus of their residency training programs were both surgical and non surgical management of periodontal disease and the placement of dental implants.

Conditions Treated by a Periodontist

Drs. Dennis Nishimine, Dee Nishimine & Sophia Tseng are mainly concerned with preventing the onset of gum disease (periodontal disease), diagnosing conditions affecting the gums and jawbone, and treating gingivitis, periodontitis and bone loss.  Periodontal disease is a progressive condition and the leading cause of tooth loss among adults in the United States.

Drs. Dennis Nishimine, Dee Nishimine & Sophia Tseng are able to treat mild, moderate and advanced gum disease.  First addressing that a  bacterial infection is the causative factor of the problem, providing periodontal treatment, then providing information and education on good oral hygiene and the effective cleaning of the teeth.  If the case is advanced they will provide "corrective procedures" to rebuild the gums and bone for you.  If one or more teeth are missing they will suggest the use of dental implants to replace the missing teeth.

The most common conditions treated by Drs. Dennis Nishimine, Dee Nishimine & Sophia Tseng are:

  • Gingivitis – This is the mild inflammation of the gums which may or may not be signified by pain and bleeding.  Your referring Doctor may also be treating you for this condition.

  • Mild/moderate periodontitis – When the pockets between the teeth and the soft tissues are measured to be between 4-6mm it is classified as moderate periodontitis (gum disease).  Your referring Doctor may also be treating you for this condition and may have referred you for specialty care to Drs. Dennis Nishimine, Dee Nishimine & Sophia Tseng.

  • Advanced periodontitis – When the pockets between the teeth and the soft tissues  exceed 5- 6mm in depth, significant bone loss has occured; causing shifting or loss of teeth.  This should be treated by a periodontist.

  • Missing teeth – When teeth are missing as a result of advanced bone loss, Drs. Dennis Nishimine, Dee Nishimine & Sophia Tseng may place dental implants to replace the missing teeth.  These dental implants are anchored to the jawbone ("osseointegrated")  and your referring Doctor will place the final crown to restore functionality to your mouth.

Treatments Performed by Drs. Dennis Nishimine, Dee Nishimine & Sophia Tseng

Drs. Dennis Nishimine, Dee Nishimine & Sophia Tsneg are able to perform a wide range of treatments to halt the progression of periodontal gum disease, replace missing teeth and make the appearance of the smile more aesthetically pleasing.

  • Deep pocket cleanings – As gingivitis and periodontitis progress, it becomes more difficult to cleanse the pockets between the soft tissues and the teeth.  The periodontist or Registered Denal Hygienist (RDH) will Scale and Root plane the teeth (SRP's)  (sometimes under local anesthetic) to remove debris and infection-causing bacteria.
  • Pocket Reduction Therapy  – If the pocket depths are greater than 5 mm after the deep cleanings have been provided, it is indicated to reduce the pockets to be less than 3 mm.  This is easily done with corrective measures and the tissues are reflected, the bone may be recontoured, and bone grafts may be placed.

  • Bone Grafting – If a "hole in the bone or moat aroung the castle" is present we can easily fill these  in with bone grafts.  This has been provided for over 50 years with a great deal of success.  The bone graft materials used are "SAFE"  and predictable.  We will discuss this with you. 
  • Periodontal Plastic Surgery - Soft Tissue Grafting -  If gum tissue are lacking, or you have a "gummy  or toothy smile" these can be corrected with soft tissue grafting and your smile is our greatest concern.  
  • Dental implants -  Have been provided since 1965 with a 95% success rate.  Dental implant are nothing new, the ancient Egyptians and Chinese thought of replacement teeth with dental implants. Today your dental implants should have a  98% success rate.  Drs. Dennis Nishimine, Dee Nishimine and Sophia Tseng have been placing dental implants since 1990. Even if you have been missing teeth for an extended period of time you may still have dental implants placed with bone grafting or Guide Bone Regeneration (GBR).  If severe bone loss has occurred, bone grafting is an excellent way to add or “grow” bone so that an implant may be properly placed for you.
  • Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR)- allows us to rebuild the missing bone for you to create and "ideal smile and rebuild your facial profile."  We can easily regrow missing bone and the latest material of choice is  Bone Morphogentic Protein (BMP) and this is cutting edge technology.  We are at the forefront and are one of the few offices  that utilize BMP.

  • Dental implant placement – When a tooth or several teeth are missing, we are able to create a natural-looking replacement with dental implants and improve your smile.  The greatest advantage is that you do not have to: cut down teeth, have a removable appliance, have full dentures, and are far more cleansible.
  • Final crown placement - will be placed by your referring restorative dentist.  We will place your dental implant and allow it to "osseointgrate" or fuse to your jaw bone and they will place the final crown or cap for you.  
  • Crown lengthening – If there is not adequate tooth structure present we may crown lengthen it to give your restorative Doctor more tooth to place a crown on.

We are  highly skilled periodontist who are able to diagnose and treat advanced conditions of the oral cavity.

If you have any questions about periodontal disease , please ask our Periodontal Implant Team. "Beautiful Smiles Through Periodontics and Dental Implants."  Contact us