Periodontal Disease Therapy
By practicing good oral hygiene and keeping up with regular professional cleanings and dental exams, your natural teeth can last a lifetime. Yet, it’s essential that you not only take care of your teeth, but you also care for your gums and tooth-supporting bone. Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is a bacterial infection that affects these supporting tissues and it’s a leading cause of tooth loss in adults. This is why Dr. Pickerell, Dr. Bell, Dr. Ross and our skilled hygiene team look for early signs of gum disease. If we see issues, periodontal disease therapy may be recommended. To find out if you could benefit from gum disease treatment, schedule a visit with a Mount Washington Valley dentist at Fryeburg Dental Center today!
What is Periodontal Disease Therapy
Gum disease can spread from the gums to the tooth-supporting bone and, in severe cases, this can lead to tooth loss. Gum disease treatment, or periodontal therapy, includes surgical and non-surgical procedures that can effectively combat this. The techniques are aimed at treating diseased tissues and restoring the health of your gums and bone. The therapies range from deep cleaning procedures that eliminate plaque and calculus from underneath the gum line to surgically repairing lost gum and bone tissue.
Benefits of Periodontal Disease Therapy
01.
Prevents Tooth Loss
Periodontal disease therapy is aimed at preventing tooth loss by stopping the infection from spreading from the gums to the supporting bone.
02.
Restores Gum Health
By treating the diseased tissues, gum disease treatment restores the health of your gums and bone.
03.
Supports Overall Health
Periodontal disease is linked to other health conditions. Treating it not only improves your oral health but your overall health too.
What to Expect
After a thorough exam, Dr. Pickerell, Dr. Bell or Dr. Ross will create a personalized treatment plan based on your needs. We use the latest technology and techniques for more comfortable, efficient care. Periodontal therapy procedures include:
- Scaling and Root Planing – Scaling and root planing are deep-cleaning techniques. We start with these procedures to control gum disease before trying surgical options. During scaling and root planing, we use hand scalers and/or ultrasonic instruments to remove plaque and calculus (tartar) from beneath the gum tissue.
- Gum Grafting – Gum tissue is necessary for protecting the tooth roots. If there are areas of lost gum tissue, we sometimes need to replace them using a technique known as gum grafting. This procedure involves taking healthy gum tissue from another area of the mouth and moving it to where it’s needed. In certain cases, we may use laboratory-processed donor tissue instead.
- Periodontal Plastic Surgery – Periodontal plastic surgery is the term used for reshaping procedures that improve the function and appearance of the gum tissue.
- Periodontal Laser Treatment – At Fryeburg Dental Center, we offer laser treatment for gum disease, which allows us to remove diseased gum tissue with less discomfort and gum shrinkage as compared to conventional surgery.
- Crown Lengthening Surgery – If too much of a tooth’s structure is covered by gum and bone tissue, crown lengthening surgery can be performed to expose more of the tooth. This procedure may be used to help secure a new dental crown or for cosmetic purposes (i.e., making the teeth look longer or fixing a gummy smile).
- Dental Implants – In cases where tooth loss has already occured, Dr. Pickerell, Dr. Bell and Dr. Ross can replace the tooth with a dental implant. The titanium implant is surgically placed in the jaw and fuses with the bone. It serves as the tooth’s root. After a healing period, a realistic-looking dental crown is attached to the implant. Your replacement tooth will look and function just like a natural tooth and can last a lifetime.
Discover a New Dental Experience
Our Fryeburg dentists offer expert, comfortable care for patients of all ages in a beautiful office.
