Dr. Tri M Le and his wife, Ann Le, have been running dental practices since 1990. Together, they founded Southeast Texas Cosmetic Dentistry in Port Arthur, Texas, before moving to Houston and founding Bunker Hill Dentistry in 2015. At Bunker Hill Dentistry we have one mission total client satisfaction.Care, Comfort,Convenience is our guarantee to every client. What does our slogan mean?
We value quality and complete dental care. We offer a wide range of services, from professional cleaning to full smile makeovers. Each patient gets personal attention at every visit, and leaves with a brighter, healthier smile.
At Bunker Hill Dentistry we take responsibility for your safety and welfare. There are always risks with any procedure so we strive to ease all anxiety and make every visit enjoyable. We offer many pain management options and we have relaxing chairs and treatment rooms to ensure a stress free experience.Your comfort is paramount. We want you to feel at ease every step of the way.
Dr. Legraduated from Williams College in 1981 with a BA in Studio Art. A family friend encouraged him to use his artistic training in a health field, so he attended the Dental School at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and began his career as a dentist in 1987.
After three years of associateship in Houston, Dr. Le purchased his familys dentists practice in Port Arthur, Texas. Ten years later, he outgrew his location and built a new office. After two hurricanes (Rita in 2005 and Ike in 2008) he finally settled in Houston, away from the coast.
Dr. Le enjoys learning new techniques and acquiring advanced technology.He received advanced cosmetic training through the Esthetic Continuum at Baylor College of Dentistry. He also received 100 hours of training under Dr. Robert Gerety with the American Orthodontic Society. When studyingimplant surgery and restoration, Dr. Le completed the Preceptorship in Implantology at the Dental School in San Antonio. He also took part in the surgical and prosthetic program offered by Dr Carl Misch of the world- famous Misch Implant Institute.
Dr. Le is also a member of the Greater Houston Dental Society, TDA, AGD (Academy of General Dentistry), and the AACD (American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry). He was awarded Fellowship status with the Academy of General Dentistry as well as the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.
In addition, his articles are published in major dental journals such as Dentistry Today, The Journal of the AACD, Dental Economics, the Journal of Contemporary Esthetic, and Restorative Practice. Find a selection of his articles below:
Outside of practicing his chosen profession, Dr. Le spends time with his wife of 30 years, Ann also the Practice Manager at Bunker Hill Dentistry and his son, Nicholas, a pianist. He also enjoys playing competitive squash and tennis, target shooting at Athena Gun Club, learning pottery, creating water color paintings, and pursuing his love of photography.
Take a look at before and after photos of this correction. When you do, you will notice that the procedure can transform the look of your smile significantly. For many men and women, gum reduction is necessary due to the sheer amount of tissue surrounding the teeth.
At Bunker Hill Dentistry, located in Memorial, Houston, our doctors will work closely with you to determine if gum lift treatment is the best option for you. With years of experience, we are confident we can help you to get the best-looking smile possible.
If you look in the mirror, you may notice that your teeth look short. Your gums may be pulling too far over the edge of your tooth. Instead of the clearly defined, rounded edges, the gums seem to be bulky or too evident. The causes of a gummy smile are many, prominent among them being genetics. You may be a good candidate for this procedure if your oral hygiene is relatively good and you have completed any type of treatment for gum health.
We work carefully with skill and precision to create the desired outcome. This is done by using a soft-tissue laser. The laser does not burn and does not cause any damage to your teeth. We use the laser to vaporize and remove the excessive gum tissue along the edge of your teeth. There may be some bleeding, but it is carefully controlled throughout the process.
Most of the time, gum lift treatment takes about two hours to complete. Youll be relaxed during the procedure. We use a local anesthesia and Nitrous Oxide to help reduce any pain or discomfort and to allow you to relax throughout it. Its all done in our serene office setting.
After the procedure, you may have some gum swelling initially. This will reduce in the coming days. Some patients may feel some discomfort or soreness in the days following the procedure. Generally, there is medication that can help to reduce this. Well talk thoroughly about aftercare when you come in for your procedure.
During gum graft surgery, your doctor will restore your gum line. A gum graft is the exact opposite of a gum lift. Your dentist will add healthy, natural tissue to the area where the gums are located, creating a natural-looking, healthy smile.
Many people need this form of gum restoration because of gum disease. If you have periodontitis or gingivitis, it will cause the gums to recede, or pull back. This happens at a very slow rate which is why it often goes undetected.
When you have significant gum loss, more of the tooth and potentially the tooths roots can become exposed, causing heightened sensitivity and damage to the supporting bone with the possibility of tooth loss.
Our team may recommend the procedure during your teeth cleaning or routine dental visit as well. Your oral care is essential and having healthy gums is necessary to help support your teeth and hold them in place. We may recommend this procedure in several cases, especially when you have significant gum recession.
You may also benefit if your teeth look longer than normal when you look at them in the mirror. This indicates the gums are receding and exposing more of the underlying root and bone. You may notice larger or increasing spaces between your teeth. This is due to the advancing periodontal disease.
During gum graft procedures, we need to add healthy tissue to the areas where the gums are receding, and tissue loss is significant. To do this, we generally use your own gum tissue. In some cases, it can be removed from the roof of the mouth. This is the ideal option because it allows for a natural match and less risk for infection.
We can also choose several types of grafts including connective tissue grafts, which is the most common option when there is root exposure, This involves cutting a flap of skin from the palate of your mouth. We remove just enough tissue from under this flap and stitch it to the existing gum tissue near the exposed root.
The procedure is done in our office. It takes between one and three hours to complete. We will use a local anesthetic and Nitrous Oxide to help you relax during the procedure. You may have some discomfort when you wake up, but over-the-counter pain medication is usually all that you need. Some swelling is also common but this improves in the days following the procedure.
