Gum and bone do the real work of holding teeth in place, yet most people only ever judge their smile by what shows in the mirror. This October, Sky Dental at 150 Rivonia Road in Sandton is putting that hidden foundation in the spotlight. The practice has a periodontist in-house who works with its dentists, hygienists and ceramist, and it treats gum and bone health as the base for nearly all of its other care, including tooth replacement, children’s check-ups and whitening.
Spring is when many families book the appointments they put off over winter. Sky Dental suggests a gum health check should be first on that list. Trouble below the gumline often causes no symptoms until it is well advanced.
Why gum disease is easy to miss
Periodontitis is the serious form of gum disease. The practice explains that the early signs are easy to dismiss: gums that bleed during brushing, a little swelling, or breath that is not quite fresh. Without treatment, the bacteria behind it work their way below the gumline and start breaking down the bone that supports the teeth. Gums recede, teeth loosen and in time they are lost. The teeth have not failed. The structure underneath them has. Sky Dental calls periodontitis the biggest single cause of adult tooth loss and stresses that it can be treated at every stage. The sooner it is found, the more of the natural foundation can be kept.
Because the practice has its own periodontist, patients are assessed and treated under one roof. An evaluation measures the pockets around each tooth, charts bleeding and recession, and uses a CBCT scan to show the bone in three dimensions. The periodontist also reviews medical history, habits such as smoking, and the bite. Each patient goes home with a written plan covering what to treat first, what to keep an eye on and what to expect over the long term. When the gums are stable, patients join a maintenance programme, typically with a hygiene visit every three to four months. To the practice’s knowledge, no other practice in the area has a periodontist in-house, and most send gum and implant cases elsewhere.
Replacing teeth that cannot be saved
If a tooth cannot be kept, the same specialist expertise guides its replacement. At Sky Dental, dental implants are small titanium posts set into the jawbone. Over a few months they bond with the bone and become a permanent base for a porcelain crown, a bridge or a full arch of fixed teeth. Every implant is planned digitally and placed with surgical guidance. The team combines CBCT data with an intra-oral scan to plan the exact position, depth and angle on screen. On the day of surgery, a printed guide steers the implant into place.
Most cases follow three steps. First comes a planning appointment. Next is the surgery, done under local anaesthetic with sedation available. The final restoration is fitted once the implant has healed for three to six months. If bone or gum has to be rebuilt first, the practice plans and performs bone grafts, gum grafts and sinus lifts itself. The practice’s ceramist makes the final crown or bridge from a digital design, so the clinicians who place, restore and maintain an implant all work as one team.
Setting children up for life
Healthy teeth and gums in adults often go back to what those adults experienced as children. Parents searching for a kids dentist in Sandton will find that Sky Dental treats many children, from those with their first loose tooth to those who walk in nervous. The practice believes the most valuable thing it can give a child is early visits that feel safe and ordinary.
Children’s check-ups and cleanings are as much lessons as cleanings, showing children how to brush well and where to floss. Fissure sealants help stop decay from starting on newly erupted permanent molars. These are a thin, tooth-coloured resin painted into the grooves of the back teeth. Sedation with a qualified paediatric anaesthetist is available in the rooms for anxious or very young children and for longer treatments. Larger treatment plans can be completed under general anaesthetic in a hospital theatre, so that all the work is done in one visit.
Help when it cannot wait
Some dental problems will not wait for a booked slot. Sky Dental works as an emergency dentist and asks patients to phone as soon as they notice a problem. That includes toothache that will not ease, a broken or knocked-out tooth, a lost crown or filling, swelling of the gum or face, and bleeding that will not stop. The practice always makes a plan to see the patient. Acute problems are seen the same day, and issues that can safely wait are seen the next morning. Every case is properly triaged.
This is possible because of the size of the team. Several dentists, a periodontist, hygienists and support staff are on site every weekday, so each emergency can go to the right clinician. A broken front tooth can be rebuilt the same day with the practice’s CAD/CAM system. A painful tooth that has had a root canal can be seen by the clinician who uses the operating microscope. Swelling around an implant goes straight to the periodontist. Gum infections and implant complications benefit most from having a specialist close by.
A brighter smile starts with healthy gums
Cosmetic work also depends on healthy gums. Sky Dental only offers teeth whitening once the mouth is healthy, with no decay, leaking fillings or gum disease. It uses the Zoom by Philips system. The in-chair treatment can lighten teeth by up to eight shades in one 90-minute session, and custom take-home trays are used over one to two weeks. Patients can combine the two to suit their budget and sensitivity. For anyone hoping for a whiter smile before the December holidays, a gum health check is a good place to begin.
Care planned around one table
Sky Dental has served Sandton since 2012. It reports more than 8,000 satisfied clients and a 5.0 average across its verified Google reviews. Continuity of care is central to how it works, and patients get to know one dedicated team that understands their history and goals. The practice points out that referring specialist work elsewhere means a second waiting room, a second set of files and a second clinician who has to catch up. With the periodontist, dentists, hygienists and ceramist together, each case is planned around one table, records stay in one place and treatment moves more quickly.
For individuals and families catching up on care this spring, having specialist gum treatment, implants, children’s dentistry, urgent appointments and whitening in one building makes things simple. More about the practice and its treatments is available at https://skydental.co.za/.
About Sky Dental
Sky Dental is a dental practice at 150 Rivonia Road, Sandton, and has served the local community since 2012. The team includes several dentists, an in-house periodontist, hygienists and a ceramist. Its services cover general and preventive dentistry, periodontal treatment, dental implants, paediatric dentistry, emergency dental care, restorative and cosmetic dentistry, teeth whitening, full mouth rehabilitation and clear aligners. The practice is mercury-free and built around continuity of care.
Media Contact
Sky Dental
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +27 11 326 5814
Website: https://skydental.co.za/
