Periodontal Treatments
Proper oral health is critical not only for your teeth but also for your overall physical wellbeing. While tooth loss directly results from untreated periodontal (gum) disease, other potential issues include diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Thankfully, there are periodontal treatment measures you can take to help minimize the effects of gum disease.
Gum disease happens when the healthy gums become infected or inflamed, which helps to support the teeth. If left untreated, periodontal disease can progress to the jaw bone, resulting in tooth loss and bone deterioration, along with other significant health issues.
If you are unsure of what gum disease looks like, you are not alone. Unfortunately, many individuals will live with symptoms without treatment, which can further the progression of the side effects. However, recognizing the early signs can help you seek a professional treatment plan before it’s too late.
Some common signs of periodontal disease include:
If you have any concerns with your gum health or show one or more signs of periodontal disease, you must seek out professional treatment as soon as possible.
There are four separate stages of periodontal disease, including appropriate treatment methods before the problem begins to cause significant damage.
There are four separate stages of periodontal disease, which can help guide you to seek treatment before the problem begins to cause significant damage.
Early on, many individuals may not realize they have active gingivitis. Without frequent visits to a dentist, it can be difficult to determine the early stages of periodontal disease. Here, there is a build-up of plaque and tartar along the gum line around the teeth.
It has not advanced to attacking the bones and affecting the teeth yet. You will not have any pain but may experience slight bleeding from the gums or notice a bit of swelling in the gum tissue while otherwise feeling normal. Thankfully, gum disease is reversible with adequate treatment if you are in this stage.
In these stages, the bacteria from plaque and tartar attacks the bone surrounding the teeth and create damage. Once you reach this point, periodontal disease is not reversible, but it can be manageable with regular professional treatment.
As each stage progresses, the effects of gum disease worsen. Gum tissue recedes more, teeth become loose, and bone loss occurs. Without intervention from a professional dentist, the results of periodontal disease will impact your oral health and other physical ailments.
Naturally, your treatment plan should reflect your symptoms and what stage of gum disease you are currently facing. Thankfully, today’s technological advances offer a host of alternative treatment options to help you manage the effects of periodontal disease.
Regular cleaning, scaling, and root planing can help eliminate any plaque or tartar build-up that daily brushing and flossing cannot. These methods are early intervention treatment methods for gum disease.
These procedures may also be known as flap or pocket reduction surgery. This process helps to remove any tartar build-up below the gum line near the tooth root. It can help prevent the spread of bacteria into the bone, helping to slow down the progression of gum disease.
While you cannot reverse the serious effects of gum disease, you can use various grafting treatments to help replenish lost gum tissue or bone. Additionally, other tissues from your mouth can help replace lost gums to help secure teeth and keep bacteria from advancing to the bone.
Bone grafting replaces lost areas that create vulnerabilities and can help encourage new healthy bone growth.
Using ridge or sinus lift augmentation treatments are typically in response to tooth loss with advanced periodontal disease. These methods help reconstruct the contour of the mouth and jaw to encourage new bone growth and allow enough space for dental implants.
No matter which stage of periodontal disease you face, seeking professional treatment options can keep your oral health in check and help minimize the symptoms. Talk to us today about how we can help get your smile back.
We look forward to meeting you. Call (614) 350-5300 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.
