When you have periodontal disease, you need periodontic care to manage the disease and protect our smile from not only discomfort, but tooth loss as well. Fortunately, we have a host of possible solutions, from a scaling and root planing to advanced laser treatment. In today’s blog, your Brooklyn, NY, periodontist and implant expert talks about our periodontic solutions!
The Causes and Warning Signs of Periodontal Disease
What causes periodontal disease? The issue starts when various factors cause gum inflammation, also known as gingivitis. For example, plaque buildup brought on by poor brushing and flossing habits, or a diet high in sugar and starch. Inflammation could also be due to tobacco use, a family history of the disease, or even inflammatory illness or certain medications. As the inflammation increases, the tissues could pull away from the teeth, creating pockets along the gum line for harmful disease-causing bacteria to enter. You then begin to develop symptoms, such as sore, red, and bleeding gums. You could also notice swelling or even recession, with the gums pulling back to expose the sensitive portions of the roots.
The Risk of Tooth Loss
Without treatment, the disease could worsen with time and eventually reach a stage known as periodontitis. At this stage, the tissues connecting your teeth and gums are severed, which leads to loose and missing teeth. In fact, this is the number one cause of adult tooth loss! But our team wants to offer care to manage the disease and protect your smile from missing teeth, so you enjoy a healthy and beautiful smile.
Diagnosing Your Smile
When you notice the symptoms we discussed above, we want you to call us right away. We will schedule a consultation and exam to start the process, looking closely at your smile with digital imaging and CT scanning technology. We want to assess the presence of the disease, and also identify any damage to connective tissues and underlying structures in your smile. With this information, we can plan treatment in detail and start the process of managing your gum health and keeping your smile intact!
Deep Cleanings
If we catch the issue in the early stages, we may offer help with a deep cleaning. Also referred to as a scaling and root planing, the procedure is more in depth than a traditional cleaning. We will use an ultrasonics scaling device and a manual pick to gently and thoroughly remove all plaque and tartar from the teeth. We also remove the layers from the roots and from beneath the gum line. Since this is more involved than a traditional cleaning, we can numb your smile ahead of time. After we remove the layers, we will polish the teeth. The process could take one visit or as many as four. Afterward, we can manage the issue with traditional cleanings every three to four months.
Laser Dentistry
If you have a more advanced case, we could help with laser dentistry. Using advanced dental lasers, including systems like LANAP and REPAIR with WaterLase, we can gently trim away diseased portions and reshape the gum line, so healthy gums can attach to the teeth and reduce the depth of periodontal pockets. We can then manage the issue with preventive care moving forward. The lasers can offer care with precision and comfort, and reduce the risk of swelling, infection, and bleeding. The area will heal quickly too, as many can return to their normal routine after 24 to 48 hours of rest.
Healing Your Tissues
To aid in the healing process, we can use special treatments like Platelet Rich plasma, in which we inject a unique autoplasm into the area to promote faster healing of connective tissues and underlying gum and bone tissues.
Replacing Missing Teeth
If you do lose teeth as a result of the disease, once we manage it, we can offer dental implants to fill the gap, providing new teeth that look and function like natural ones. We can aid in the placement and healing process with the LAPIP dental laser system. If you have any questions about how our team will conduct treatment for periodontal disease or how we replace missing teeth with dental implants, then contact our team today to learn more and get started. We want to help you enjoy your best possible smile!
Schedule Your Periodontal Appointment with the Team at Brooklyn Periodontics
Our team wants to help you smile with confidence and enjoy better oral health. For more information on protecting your periodontal health with periodontics, or to schedule a consultation, please call Brooklyn Periodontics & Implantology in Brooklyn, NY at (718) 444-3800 today.
