You might need to see our periodontist if you have chronic bad breath, your gums bleed whenever you brush or floss, or your gums look swollen and feel tender when touched. Healthy gums are crucial for a healthy mouth, so please don’t be tempted to ignore these warning signs of periodontal disease!
Our periodontist is qualified to diagnose gum disease and provide you with the instructions you need for healthier teeth and gums. Should your smile need help with severe gum problems, we can provide you with the specialized care you need to treat them. Gum disease arises because of an accumulation of plaque and tartar, causing inflammation around the gums. It is a serious infection that can leave you with bone loss in your jaw and lost teeth.
Why Seek a Periodontist?
Our periodontist has the additional training required to work with patients seeking treatment for gum disease and bone loss and can perform the same treatments as a dentist would (fillings, crowns and root canals). We strive to help you better understand the health risks that come with gum disease and then provide effective treatment if you are diagnosed with gum disease to minimize damage to your smile before it progresses or even spreads into your bloodstream, where it can reach vital organs in your body.
We can effectively treat the following conditions:
- Gingivitis, or gum inflammation
- Tooth loss from gum disease
- Detecting abnormalities of the soft tissues of the teeth from oral cancer
- Diagnose and treat problems, like Crohn’s disease or diabetes, that impact your mouth
If you have problems with your gums, it is important not to dismiss them as they will typically worsen over time, even harming your overall health. Tooth loss is another serious outcome of untreated periodontal disease. This can impact your self-confidence if you are reluctant to smile and even how you are perceived by other people around, like friends, coworkers, and potential suitors can dampen your spirits.
Periodontal Treatment Options (Non-surgical)
- Scaling: This effectively gets rid of tartar and bacteria on the tooth surfaces as well as under your gumline.
- Root planing: This smooths the root surfaces to keep tartar and bacterial buildup away and promotes gum attachment to your teeth.
- Antibiotics: These work by controlling bacterial infection, whether with an antibiotic mouth rinse or applying an antibiotic gel into affected gum pockets.
- Laser treatments: This minimally invasive treatment kills deep pockets of bacteria and stimulates bone growth around your natural teeth. This treatment helps if you don’t want gum surgery.
Advanced Periodontal Treatment Options
- Flap surgery/pocket reduction surgery: Known by various names, including gingivectomy and osseous surgery, these oral surgeries get rid of bacteria and tartar buildup on the tooth roots.
- Soft tissue grafts: These protect your tooth root by adding tissue that covers the roots and can come from a donor source like the roof of the mouth or nearby healthy gum tissue.
- Bone grafting: This periodontal surgery involves placing a bone graft that will boost regeneration of the lost tooth-supporting bone material.
- Guided tissue regeneration: This treatment option enables your body to regenerate and regrow lost tissues and bone from gum disease. After removing bacteria, a regenerative like a membrane, tissue graft, or tissue-stimulating protein will be placed.
Gum treatment is as vital as getting your teeth treated when problems arise. The good news is if gum disease is detected and treated early, it can often be reversed! Our periodontal team is here to help your smile thrive with treatment options that work for you. We love helping patients achieve good oral health throughout their lives!
