A beautiful smile begins with strong, healthy gum tissue. Addressing your gum problems is the essence of periodontal dentistry. Periodontal diseases are chronic gum conditions that can cause considerable damage to the attachment fibers and supporting bone that holds your teeth in position. This damage not only causes pain but can eventually lead to tooth loss and have a significant impact on your smile and overall health.
What Is Periodontal Dentistry?
Periodontal dentistry includes the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases of the supporting and surrounding tissues of the teeth and the maintenance of these structures' health, function, and aesthetics.
A periodontal screening is an easy way for our dental professionals to determine the state of your gum health. During this screening, we use a small measuring probe gently placed between your tooth and gum to evaluate your gum health. Early diagnosis and treatment of gum diseases can help you retain your teeth for a lifetime.
Symptoms of Periodontal Diseases
- Your gum tissue is tender, inflamed, or swollen
- Your bite has changed because your teeth have shifted or moved
- Your gum tissue is receding
- Your teeth appear longer
- You have bad breath
- Your gums bleed during brushing
- Pus oozes out when pressing the gums
- Loosening of teeth
Treatment of Periodontal Disease
The initial treatment involves educating patients on efficient oral hygiene practices. This is a critical component of successful periodontal therapy. In addition, we try to get to the root cause of infections by performing scaling and root planing procedures. It involves cleaning the tooth structure and removing bacterial plaque and hardened tartar deposits from the gum pockets. This may be the only therapy required in gingivitis and very mild periodontitis cases.
In cases that exhibit significant gum pockets and underlying bone loss, it becomes necessary to eliminate the diseased gum pockets and bony destruction with osseous surgery. The gum is flapped and pulled back from the teeth during the surgery to expose the underlying roots and bone irregularities. The bone is shaped according to the required dimensions, and the gum is sutured back to position. The average probing depth is restored between the gum and tooth when the gum heals. The realization of minimal probing depth facilitates the easy removal of plaque during our routine professional cleanings.
Maintenance and Prevention
Once the active phase of treatment is concluded, and gum health has been restored, patients must consult us for routine dental and periodontal cleanings. This practice, along with diligent home care and oral hygiene, will give the best chance to prevent disease recurrence and maintain long-term periodontal health.
At Grace & Leedy Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we provide dental solutions to improve your oral health while transforming smiles. Visit our office at 10881 West Asbury Ave. Suite 210, Lakewood, CO 80227, or call Dentist Lakewood CO at (303) 989-0452 and schedule an appointment.