Restore your gum health
We provide a range of services to help improve and maintain your gum health. Often we can help to halt and reverse gum disease without surgery. Periodontal “gum” disease is typically a chronic infection caused by bacteria that works its way under the gum line, destroying the gum and eventually the bone that supports the teeth. Because the bacteria can firmly attach to the tooth roots under the gum line, regular dental cleanings may be inadequate to resolve the infection. In these instances, root planing, commonly referred to as “deep cleanings”, becomes necessary.
Causes of Periodontal Disease
The main cause of gum disease is bacterial plaque. In order to keep your teeth and gums healthy, daily cleaning is necessary as well as regular cleanings. If this plaque is not removed, it hardens into a rough, porous deposit called calculus, or tarter. This tartar produces toxins that irritate the gums. These toxins destroy the gum tissue around the teeth and causes the gums to pull away from the teeth. This creates pockets that fill up with more plaque. As a result, the gums pull away from the teeth and cause bone destruction. Without the support of bone, teeth may become loose, painful and even fall out.
Risk factors for Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease is one of the reasons why American adults lose their teeth. Smokers, or people that use chewing tobacco have an increased risk of periodontal disease than non-users. Pregnancy, stress, genetics, medications and diabetes can also be risk factors.
Treatment
To effectively take care of periodontal disease, the initial treatment is typically scaling and root planing; this treatment exists to remove tartar at or below the gum line. Standard cleanings and polishes only deal with the plaque above the gum line, and these procedures aren’t effective on their own to truly treat gum disease.
“Scaling” is a necessary first step in the treatment process, and it clears the way for a deeper clean. “Root planing” involves cleaning plaque from below the gum line that is most often the culprits in periodontal disease. Local anesthetics are also used to numb the area for greater comfort. Scaling and root planing are a basic approach to effectively treating the disease and allowing the gums and surrounding bone to heal properly. Collectively, these methods represent the fundamentals of non-surgical periodontal therapy.
Your dentist may also recommend the routine placement of antibiotics under the gum line to help kill the bacteria that may still exist following a dental cleaning or root planing procedure.
Once successfully completed, the scaling and root planing procedure should leave patients feeling little or no discomfort. If the non-surgical therapy effectively eliminates the gum disease, the only further requirement will be periodic maintenance every 3-4 months.
We also offer Laser Gum Therapy for those stubborn deep pockets. We have an in-office laser that we use to treat 5-7 mm pockets that persist after phase one of the deep cleanings. This is a non-surgical approach to treating periodontal disease. Ask us about Laser Gum Therapy!
One of our experienced Dentists and Dental hygienists will meet with you for a consultation and help determine the best treatment to resolve the infection, and restore your gum health. The first step towards a beautiful, healthy smile is to schedule an appointment. Please contact our office for an appointment today.