Periodontal TherapyAn Overview
Gum disease is a prevalent oral health epidemic. Caused by a bacterial infection of the gums, you can often avoid periodontal disease with improved oral hygiene practices and routine visits to our dental office. Left untreated, gum disease can progress and result in additional dental health concerns.
Gum disease forms when bacteria on the surface of your teeth creates plaque build-up. The bacterial infection will multiply and spread forming deep periodontal pockets in the gum line as well. This will cause your gums to swell, and eventually begin to recede.
Poorly fitting dental restorations, missing teeth, broken or ill-fit dental fillings, and crooked teeth can all increase your risk of developing gum disease.
Patients with gum disease are more likely to experience a decline in their oral wellness and their systemic health. Late-stage gum disease has been linked to an increased risk of serious medical conditions and poor health.
Gum disease increases the risk of the following:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Heart Attack & Strokes
- Loss of Jaw Bone
- Facial sagging
- Missing teeth
- Tooth loss
- Halitosis
Speak with our dentist if you experience persistent or recurring bleeding gums in order to determine the cause. Fortunately, our Claremont dentistry can offer many gum disease treatment options for you.
“Gingivitis or periodontal disease can become quite a problem for your teeth, and health. Our periodontics practice is expert at helping patients. If you see symptoms of bleeding gums, halitosis (bad breath), loose teeth or gum recession, please let us help get your mouth healthy again.”
—Dr. Vijay Patel
Preventative Dentistry and Gum Disease
It is important to visit the dentist at least twice a year for a routine oral health exam. These regularly scheduled dental exams give your Claremont Dental Institute dentist the opportunity to catch any developing dental health concerns early on to allow for proactive treatment options.
For patients with advanced stages of gum disease, known as periodontitis, you may see our in-house periodontist. Periodontists have 3 years of advanced specialized training in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of gum disease.
Our Claremont, CA periodontist offers advanced treatment options to address the damage caused to the soft tissue, teeth, and jaw as a result of periodontitis. We will evaluate your oral health, gums, teeth, and jaw in order to build a personalized treatment plan to address your gum disease issues.
Periodontal Therapy What to Expect
We tailor the periodontal therapy treatments that we provide for periodontal disease to the unique needs of each of our patients. Your dentist will thoroughly examine your teeth, gums, and jaw bone to determine the extent of treatment necessary to restore your oral health. For some patients, a combination of periodontal therapy and restorative treatments will provide the best results.
For the optimal comfort of our patients, we also offer sedation dentistry options. Our dentist will discuss your options for sedation during your initial visit. We will base our recommendations on the procedures you need, your medical history, and your overall health. To learn about our dental sedation options, see Sedation dentistry.
Treating Gum Disease to Restore Your Oral Health
Claremont Dental Institute provides a full range of periodontal therapies for all stages of gum disease. We perform all procedures in-house and manage all phases of the treatment plan.
Utilizing state-of-the-art dental technology and laser therapy we provide the precise, effective, and less invasive options for restoring health to your gums and smile. The following are the periodontal therapy treatments that we offer in our Claremont dental office.
Dental Cleanings
Routine dental cleanings can help prevent the spread of oral bacteria. Six-month teeth cleanings are ideal for controlling gum disease and preventing further damage to your gums, teeth, and jaw. Routine dental cleanings are also great for our patients with diabetes, oral cancer, and other conditions that affect the mouth. Maintaining a healthy oral environment is essential for good health overall.
Scaling and Root Planing
For patients with hard plaque build-up, a scaling and root planing treatment can help. This deep cleaning method removes plaque and helps prevent the spread of disease-causing bacteria and removes tough plaque build-up. This procedure also removes tartar and calculus from the teeth and gums, preventing further gum disease. It can also help reduce inflammation, bleeding and discomfort in your mouth.
After the procedure, the clean gums are able to heal and naturally reattach to your teeth. Patients who have undergone this procedure have seen significant improvements in their overall oral health.
Bone surgery
Bone loss is common in patients with advanced gum disease, or periodontitis. Tooth loss or periodontal pockets due to bone deterioration are the main causes of jaw bone loss. Bone surgery can rebuild jaw bone tissue and seal-off pockets in the jaw where bacteria can grow using bone surgery.
This surgery can also help replace missing teeth, repair fractures, restore normal facial structure, and even prevent oral cancer. Bone surgery is an essential tool for restoring the health of your mouth and ensuring long-term success with dental health.
Soft tissue grafts
Gum recession is a serious condition that can lead to tooth loss and an increased risk of advanced periodontal disease. Soft tissue grafting is a procedure that can help rebuild the gums and restore them to their original shape. We may recommend this procedure for patients with advanced gum inflammation and periodontitis who have experienced gum recession. It is a safe and effective treatment that can help restore the health of your mouth, prevent further damage, and improve your smile.
Pocket reduction
Pocket reduction is an effective oral surgery procedure that can help reduce the size of large periodontal pockets due to the spread of bacteria in your gum tissue. It involves removing tartar and plaque buildup from around the tooth, as well as reshaping and smoothing out any rough edges of the pocket to prevent further bacterial growth.
After a thorough oral exam and periodontal charting, our periodontist or dental hygienist will decide how much to reduce.
Guided tissue regeneration
Guided tissue regeneration is a periodontal therapy that helps to stimulate the natural regrowth of gum and bone tissue. Our periodontist will create a barrier between the healthy gum tissue and the infected area, allowing for new healthy tissue to grow in its place. This process can help reduce inflammation, improve oral hygiene, and restore lost gum and bone structure. We can also treat other conditions such as tooth loss or recession of the gums using guided tissue regeneration.
