Periodontal disease is a very serious and widespread oral health concern, one that can lead to uncomfortable symptoms and even tooth loss! But with our periodontic care, we can manage the disease to keep your smile healthy and full. In today’s blog, your Brooklyn, NY, periodontist talks about our treatment options.
The Causes and Warning Signs of Gum Disease
The disease starts with initial inflammation, also known as gingivitis. This can occur due to plaque buildup irritating the gum tissues. The buildup itself is often the result of poor brushing and flossing habits, combined with a diet high in sugar and starch. Lack of regular dental cleanings could be a factor too, as could a family history of periodontal issues, inflammatory illnesses, and certain medications. You may notice soreness, redness, and bleeding in your gums, as well as recession that makes your teeth appear long. Don’t ignore these symptoms, reach out to our team so we can manage the disease and prevent the periodontitis stage, the one linked to adult tooth loss.
Diagnostic Images
We will begin your treatment journey by taking diagnostic images of your smile. With digital x-rays, our team will obtain clear and high-definition images without the need for bitewings, and using 90% less radiation. The images will be available instantly chairside, so we can walk you through the diagnosis and prevent you from waiting on the images to develop in harsh chemicals. The x-rays allow us to assess the impact of the disease on your gum and bone structures, which can be damaged by periodontal disease.
To obtain a clear look at your jawbone and other structures hidden by the gums, we can conduct CT scans, which allows us to assess the state of nerve tissues, bone structure and more in preparation for treatment and even the placement of dental implants. If we need to create a model of your smile, instead of relying on molds and gooey materials, our team will use the 3Shape TRIOS intraoral scanner, which allows us to gather detailed images of your smile with a tiny camera at the end of a thin wand. We can then plan treatment with better precision!
Treatments
We have a number of treatment options to offer relief and manage periodontal disease. For the early stages, we could conduct a deep cleaning, also known as a scaling and root planing. The procedure involves removing all buildup from the teeth and roots, and from beneath the gum line. This could take one to four visits, and allows the disease to be managed with preventive care moving forward.
If the issue is more severe, then we may need to conduct periodontal surgery. We could use surgery to reduce the depth of periodontal pockets, so we can better manage the disease. In the process, we can also remove diseased tissues and reshape the gum line for better symmetry and esthetics, so you can feel proud to smile!
We can also help your gums and tissues heal with the use of Platelet Rich Plasma. We will inject a special autoplasm to help heal gum tissues and underlying bone structure. This helps prevent tooth loss and also ensures your smile can receive and support dental implants if you have lost teeth due to the disease. This also makes the healing process following implant placement much shorter!
Dental Lasers
When we need to conduct periodontal surgery, our team will employ advanced dental lasers. With the LANAP and LAPIP systems, our team will use a laser calibrated for soft tissue concerns to gently and thoroughly remove the diseased portions of the gums with precision and accuracy, avoiding damage to healthy tissues and bone structures. The lasers limit the risk of bleeding, infection, and swelling, and also ensure the area heals faster, as we don’t need scalpels or sutures. The procedure is comfortable too, sometimes requiring little to no anesthesia too.
If you have any questions about how our team will diagnose and treat issues like gum disease, or if you have symptoms that need attention, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you smile with confidence again, and even good oral health and better smile stability.
Schedule Your Periodontic Appointment with Your Brooklyn, NY, Periodontist
Our team wants to help you enjoy good oral health and avoid uncomfortable symptoms. To schedule an appointment to keep your smile whole and healthy, contact your Brooklyn, NY, periodontist by calling (718) 444-3800. In addition to our periodontic treatments, don’t forget that we can address tooth loss with dental implants!
