Periodontics

Gum disease is one of the most prevalent oral health issues in the United States—this illness affects over half of people over the age of 18 and over 75 percent of patients over the age of 35. Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection of the gums, bone, and ligaments that support your teeth. Most patients are not aware that they have some form of the disease as it is typically asymptomatic, which is where our periodontics team at Associates for Dental Care, LLC comes in. By diagnosing, treating, and preventing gum disease, we can keep you in good oral health.

Diagnosing Periodontal Disease

It is important to diagnose periodontal illness at the earliest possible stage, as this is when treatments are most effective. When gum disease progresses too far along, patients are at risk for a number of health complications including respiratory illness, heart disease, stroke, and more.

At Associates for Dental Care, LLC, we have the latest technology to diagnose and treat gum disease. There a number of risk factors that we look for when determining your risk for gum disease, including:

• Bleeding gums
• Swelling, inflammation, and tenderness of the gums
• Diabetes
• Halitosis
• Loose teeth
• Abscess
• Poor nutrition
• Plaque buildup
• Smoking
• Chronic stress

In order to track your gum health and diagnose disease, we perform a technique known as periodontal charting, which allows us to measure the space between your teeth and gums for each of your teeth. We also review x-rays to ensure bone damage has not occurred as a result of gum disease.

Prevention and Treatment Methods

Our periodontics team assesses your gum health and takes the following critical steps to restore your health and eradicate gum disease:

• Education – One of the most effective methods of preventing gum disease is to educate patients on proper oral hygiene and daily plaque removal.
• Scaling and Root Planing – This deep-cleaning process is used to remove calculus deposits and bacterial plaque from the tooth structure and deep within the gum pockets. This process is used to treat gingivitis (the earliest stage of gum disease) and mild periodontitis.
• Osseous Surgery – This treatment is used to treat enlarged gum pockets and remove decayed gum tissue.
• Bone and Gum Grafting – This allows us to regenerate the jaw bone, treat gum recession, and remedy pathological root exposure.
• Crown Lengthening – This procedure reshapes gum tissue and the bone structure to expose more of the dental enamel for improved appearance and function.
• Periodontal Splinting – Strengthening teeth when the surrounding gum tissue loosens as a result of gum disease.
• Cosmetic Periodontal Surgery – This surgery is used to remove excess gum tissue and improve the appearance of your gums.

Do you need to schedule an appointment with our periodontics team? Would you like to learn more about how to prevent gum disease? Contact our us today.