Periodontal Services
Your oral health is more than just the condition of your teeth.
Your gums are equally important when it comes to having a healthy, beautiful smile. Gum disease begins with mild symptoms like swelling and redness, but it can quickly lead to gum recession, damage to the jawbone, and even tooth loss. At Dental Wellness Team, we have a top-rated periodontist on staff to diagnose and treat gum disease.
Signs Of Gum Disease
Gum disease has many symptoms and it’s important to note that you can experience only one of the symptoms below and still be diagnosed with gum disease; it’s a progressive condition that starts with minor issues that you may not even give a second thought to. This is why regular dental checkups are key to good oral health and gum disease prevention—we can identify the earliest signs of gum disease and provide treatment to reverse the disease before it causes lasting damage to your smile.
Here are the most common signs of gum disease:
- Receding gums
- Persistent bad breath
- Frequent, painful mouth sores
- Pus between the teeth and gums
- Persistent bad breath
- Swollen, inflamed gums
-
Changes in the color of your
gums—they may be red or even purple - Bleeding during brushing and flossing
- Receding gums
-
Teeth that feel loose or seem
to be shifting - Ill-fitting dentures and oral appliances
- Changes to your bite
- Tooth loss
Gum Disease Treatment
Our periodontist takes an individualized treatment approach for each patient depending on their stage of gum disease.
Our gum treatments include:
Gingivitis Treatment
Gingivitis Treatment
Gingivitis is the precursor to gum disease. We offer comfortable laser and non-surgical treatment options to restore health to your gum tissue and prevent gingivitis from progressing into gum disease.
Gum Graft Surgery
Gum Graft Surgery
If your gum disease has caused gum recession, we can repair the damage with gum graft surgery. The soft tissue is repaired and it will naturally regenerate over time.
Gum Treatment
Gum Treatment
Our periodontist uses a non-surgical periodontal therapy called scaling and root planing for patients in the early stages of gum disease. This treatment involves cleaning plaque and tartar from the pockets that form between your teeth and gums, then smoothing the roots of your teeth to encourage your gums to reattach.
Pocket Reduction
Pocket Reduction
Periodontal pockets can deepen as gum disease progresses, allowing bacteria to damage the jawbone and roots of your teeth. Pocket reduction is a series of surgeries performed to clean these pockets and reduce their depth.
Therapy Lanap Laser Surgery
Therapy Lanap Laser Surgery
LANAP is another therapy used to treat Periodontal disease. This high-tech laser treatment cleans the deep pockets that form in moderate to severe periodontal disease, then promotes the reattachment of the gums to the roots of the teeth.
Root Surface Debridement
Root Surface Debridement
Root surface debridement, or RSD, involves cleaning the root surface of the tooth to remove deposits and slow the progression of gum disease.
Crown Lengthening
Crown Lengthening
Crown lengthening is a periodontal procedure that is used to correct a “gummy” smile or produce a more even gum line; it may also be needed to expose more of a tooth prior to crown placement.
FAQ About Gum Disease and Periodontics
Yes, gum disease can be cured—in its early stages, we can reverse the disease with scaling and root planing treatments. Later stage gum disease can also be cured, although different treatments may be needed and the damage it has caused may be permanent without restorative procedures like gum grafting.
There are some conditions, like dry mouth and diabetes, that put you at higher risk of gum disease, but the most common cause is poor brushing and flossing habits.
After your periodontal procedures at Dental Wellness Team, we will provide you with instructions to help you maintain your gum health. Good home oral hygiene and regular visits to our office are key to keeping gum disease from returning.
No, once your gums have receded, they will not grow back on their own. Gum grafts are needed to repair gum recession caused by gum disease.
