Karen Williamson, DDS

By
Meredith
Knight

It’s astounding how much dental
technology has advanced in the last few decades. Technology such as
laser dentistry, digital X-rays, 3-D scanners, and same-day crowns have made
dentistry faster, more comfortable, more efficient, and more effective than
ever before. In her Rockwall practice, Dr. Karen Williamson has adopted many
of those dental breakthroughs. She also offers services and technology not
common to a general dental practice, such as complimentary home sleep apnea
tests, and the Ecchoread System ( Acoustic Diagnostic Pharyngometer and
Rhinometer) to accurately design sleep-apnea appliances, and offer her
patients a good night’s sleep. (And she’s even working toward
board-certification in dental forensics to offer families of accident and
crime victims much-needed closure.)

“It’s an exciting time to be practicing
dentistry,” Dr. Williamson said. “I love staying abreast of the next
breakthrough coming down the line and investing in the ones that will most
benefit my patients

Guided
Biofilm Therapy

In her continued effort to provide the best
that modern dentistry has to her family of patients, Dr. Williamson is happy
to have adopted Guided Biofilm Therapy (GBT) as part of her routine dental
cleanings. The term “biofilm” refers to the harmful plaque that can build up
on teeth not just leading to tooth decay and gum disease but also free to
enter your body, every time you swallow, and contribute to deadly conditions
such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disorders, diabetes, Alzheimer’s,
and certain types of cancers.

“GBT and its system (EMS – Electro Medical
System) are truly a game changer in identifying and removing harmful oral
biofilm (plaque) and tooth discoloration,” Dr. Williamson said. “Here are the
top ten reasons my patients are loving this new, breakthrough
technology.”

Uses Warm
Water = Less Cold Sensitivity
Routine
dental cleanings are even faster.
No
Scraping = Better Comfort
Less
Abrasive = Saves Tooth Structure
Precisely
Targets the Bacteria = Gets to the problem
faster
It cleans
much better around implants, fillings, crowns, and bonding, going where
traditional instruments cannot conform
GBT uses a
superfine powder which kills bacteria while still being gentle to the tooth
structure. In fact, it is much less abrasive than the usual polishing
pastes.
It works
beautifully around braces brackets which can be challenging to clean
around.
It also
removes stain from teeth without harming the tooth
structure.
Patients
love how slick and polished their teeth feel after their cleaning.

Dr. Williamson and her hygienists love the
GBT system because it allows patients to actually see the bacteria that’s
present on their teeth. And they’re often surprised. “Most of us remember
chewing little red tablets, when we were kids, that showed us where we
weren’t brushing well enough,” Dr. Williamson said. “This system allows us to
do the same thing, except the biofilm shows up pink or blue wherever there is
new or old—sometimes very old—bacteria. Most patients are surprised by how
much disease-causing bacteria is present on teeth they considered
clean.”

This “disclosing solution” on the teeth shows
the hygienist exactly where biofilm is hiding and the Swiss-made EMS system
allows them to gently remove the old and new bacteria improving not just the
health of your teeth and gums but your entire body. “All of my hygienists
have trained on the GBT system and are certified in the EMS protocol,” Dr.
Williamson said. “We’ve long known the importance of biannual professional
cleanings to remove plaque and bacteria from teeth and gums. Doing so can
eliminate bad breath, tooth loss, bleeding and receding gums, and gum
disease. This new technology is a mighty ally in removing that bacteria
quickly, safely, completely, and in a way our patients say actually feels good.”

Meet
Dr. Williamson

Over the past 30 years, Dr. Karen Williamson
has provided general, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry to the families of
Rockwall—and beyond—her emphasis on incorporating the latest, most advanced
technology into her practice continues to make dental care safer, more
comfortable, and more precise. For Dr. Williamson, that’s meant well over 200
hours of continuing education each year.

Dr. Williamson is a proud Rockwall resident. She
obtained her dental degree from Baylor College of Dentistry in 1990 and
completed a one-year residency program at the VA Medical Center in Dallas
specializing in general dentistry then completed additional training at
Children’s Hospital Dallas

and Denton State School before opening her private general dentistry
practice in Rockwall in 1993. In her free time, she works alongside medical
examiners in Collin, Tarrant, and Dallas Counties helping identify crime
victims and victims of natural disaster through dental
records.

“There’s no door between the mouth and the
rest of the body,” Dr. Williamson said. “If anything, the mouth is a window
into the rest of the body and the health of the other systems. In fact, once
we’ve treated bacteria in the mouth, patients often tell me they have more
energy and better mental clarity. My practice is about more than just teeth.
It’s about total-body wellness which is what my patients
deserve.”

Find out
more at KarenWilliamsonDDS.com.