Gum disease. It’s one of those phrases that can instantly strike fear into anyone’s heart, and it’s easy to see why: those close-up pictures of diseased gums you might have seen at your dentist’s office could disturb even the staunchest patient. Unfortunately, for many patients, gum disease isn’t just a few pictures at the dentist - it’s a reality. Gum disease comes in different forms and can require a range of treatment options, but every patient has one thing in common: the need for quality periodontic care.
The gums and surrounding tissues are important factors in your oral health. If you are experiencing symptoms with your gums, such as redness and bleeding, loose teeth, and gums pulling away from the teeth, then you need to come see us immediately. Modern periodontic treatments can improve and sometimes even reverse the spread of gum disease, when caught early, so don’t delay!
Scaling should already be a familiar dental term to you: it’s what the hygienist does at every checkup, removing plaque and tartar from your teeth with special tools. Periodontic scaling is at a deeper level, removing those deposits from both above and below the gumline, in order to rid the socket of bacteria and diseased tissue. This is an essential first step in helping your immune system fight back against gum disease. Root planing takes the process one step further, by removing plaque and tartar from the roots of the teeth.
At times, tooth extraction may be necessary in order to benefit the surrounding tissue. If a tooth has been loosened or damaged by gum disease to a great extent, removing it is the best option. The dentist can then focus on treating the remaining tissue.
Prevention is key in avoiding gum disease, so be certain you visit us for your routine cleanings and examinations. And if you do need periodontic treatment, don’t worry - we’ve got you covered.
Crown lengthening is a procedure to remove gum from around the base of a tooth to expose more of the crown and make the tooth appear “longer.” This treatment is used to prepare a tooth for a dental crown. It can also be used as a cosmetic procedure to correct a “gummy smile.”
A gum graft, or gingival graft, is used to treat injured or damaged gums or as a cosmetic enhancement to your gum line. The graft tissue is transplanted from another area of your mouth to the gums that are being treated.
Our Trios Intraoral Scanner lets us create a 3D digital model of your teeth and the inside of your mouth. This model is a valuable diagnostic and treatment tool that helps us monitor the health of your teeth, diagnose bite alignment issues and other conditions, and plan dental treatments such as orthodontic treatment or dental implant placement.
Intra-oral photos are high quality digital images of the inside of your mouth. They are a great patient education tool because they let us show you an area of concern or finished dental work. They’re also useful for diagnosis and treatment.
