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PERIODONTAL THERAPY
Gum Disease Treatment
In the US today, half of all adults over the age of 30 have some stage of gum disease. If left untreated, gum disease leads to loss of tissue and bone that support the teeth, eventually leading to tooth loss. And in large part due to the inflammation of the gums and bacterial spread, gum disease has also been linked to numerous other health issues including heart and lung diseases, diabetes, stroke, dementia, and pregnancy complications.
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The good news is that gum disease is almost entirely preventable with good oral hygiene and regular dental checkups. In its early stage, it can usually be reversed simply by brushing and flossing daily and properly, and perhaps a regular cleaning at Dream Family Dental. And even in moderate to advanced stages, it can often still be reversed with appropriate dental treatment. Your oral health is important, and we take it seriously. We offer scaling and root planing, dental crown lengthening, and bone grafting to fight gum disease and restore your oral health. Contact us today to learn more about gum disease treatment or to schedule an appointment with us.
Gingivitis
Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal disease. At this stage, bacteria in plaque have built up, leaving the gums irritated, inflamed, red, and sometimes prone to bleeding easily when teeth are brushed. The space between teeth and gum begins to get deeper, forming pockets. Only the gums are affected and it is highly treatable; there has been no damage to bone or other tissue yet. Starting from this stage, persistent bad breath or metallic taste in the mouth can occur. Though it is sometimes difficult to detect any of these symptoms without a dental examination if left untreated gingivitis can progress to periodontitis.
Non-Surgical and Surgical Gum Disease Treatments
Though the effects of gum disease sound (and are!) quite scary, fortunately, modern dentistry provides us with many treatment options that can halt the progression and even reverse the disease entirely!
Gingivitis is typically easily reversed with a professional regular dental cleaning and good daily oral hygiene (brushing and flossing), but more advanced stages of gum disease require professional dental treatment. There are several surgical and non-surgical options that your dentist can recommend according to your specific case.
Scaling and Root Planning is typically the first step to treating periodontitis. It is a non-surgical process, known colloquially as a dental “deep cleaning.” Scaling removes plaque, tartar, and bacterial toxins on your teeth both above and below the gum line. Root planing smooths the tooth-root surfaces, making it more difficult for bacteria to adhere and easier for the gums to reattach to the teeth and heal. After a few weeks, your dentist will evaluate how well your gums have healed and determined whether or not further treatment is necessary. In most periodontitis cases, scaling and root planing coupled with continuous good oral hygiene reverses the disease entirely!
Surgical Treatments are necessary when scaling and root planing alone is not sufficient in healing this disease, usually in cases of advanced periodontitis. When scaling and root planning are done first, the amount of surgery required usually decreases. Surgical options can include pocket reduction or flap surgery, gum or bone grafts, and regenerative therapy.
Our dentist are particularly skilled in highly advanced and specialized procedures to treat periodontitis and its deteriorative effects, including Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation (a far less invasive treatment for gum recession compared to traditional gum grafting), and regenerative therapies such as the use of Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) to stimulate the growth and accelerate healing of bone and soft tissue. For more information or to see if any of these treatments could benefit you, please contact us at 469-301-3215 for your consultation!
