Do you have loose teeth, bad breath, swollen or bleeding gums, or gum recession? These are all signs of periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, and it affects roughly 42 percent of adults 30 and older in the U.S. Once it reaches this stage, you have non-surgical and surgical options. See how they compare here.
Schedule an appointment today with a Short Pump family dentist to determine if you have gum disease and start treatment. Call 804-747-0116.
General Information About Treatment
Once gingivitis progresses to moderate to severe gum disease, it's no longer curable, but you can manage it through surgical or non-surgical means. The periodontal therapy plan used varies from patient to patient depending on the severity of their condition. Sometimes, a non-surgical approach is adequate, while other times, the treatment will require surgery in addition to non-invasive therapy.
Non-Surgical Therapy
All patients who have moderate or severe periodontal disease will undergo a non-invasive therapy to thoroughly clean their teeth around and below the gum line. This treatment is known as scaling and planing. This treatment involves a dentist removing plaque and tartar above and below the gum line to remove the bacteria that's irritating the gums.
After, the dentist will perform planing, which means they'll smooth the tooth's root so the gums can reattach and prevent more bacteria from entering. Scaling and planing is usually a one-time treatment. You should be able to receive standard dental cleanings after.
Surgical Treatment Options
A specialist in dentistry in Henrico uses gum grafting to treat gum recession caused by gum disease. During this surgical procedure, the dentist will remove tissue from the roof of the mouth or other similar location and attach it to the gums, improving thickness and coverage.
In some cases, the dentist may provide additional treatments, such as sculpting the gum line and reshaping the bone, to help with appearance and function.
Laser periodontal treatment uses concentrated light energy to remove plaque and tartar on the teeth. It's minimally invasive. The laser won't harm the gum tissue, but it'll kill the bacteria and encourage healing of the gum tissue.
A dentist uses dental implant surgery to replace missing teeth. Rather than dentures that can move around, dental implants use a metal screw or post surgically implanted in the jawbone that the abutment and crown sit on. The design of dental implants allows them to function and look like your original teeth.
Your teeth can look more appealing once a dentist removes excess gum tissue with crown lengthening surgery. The dentist may focus on infected tissue that doesn't respond to scaling and planing. This particular surgery decreases the size of deep gum pockets, making it easier to keep bacteria out of the gum line.
When you visit Short Pump Dental in Henrico for gum disease treatment, you may undergo one or more therapies to manage the problem. All of these are performed once and provide long-lasting results, but you'll need to keep up regular oral hygiene practices and visit for routine dental cleanings to keep the periodontal disease at bay.
Call 804-747-0116 to find the ideal treatment plan with a Short Pump family dentist to manage your gum disease.