What Are Your Periodontal Treatment Options?
Our comprehensive approach to treating gum disease includes both non-surgical and surgical interventions.
Non-Surgical Treatments
- Scaling and root planing: This deep cleaning procedure removes plaque and tartar from tooth surfaces and root surfaces below the gum line
- Root planing smooths the root surfaces to help the gums reattach to the teeth
- Antibiotic therapy to target bacterial infections in periodontal pockets
These non-surgical approaches are often the first line of defense against periodontal disease.
Surgical Interventions
- Gum graft procedures to cover exposed root areas and treat receding gums
- Bone grafting to regenerate lost bone tissue
- Tissue regeneration techniques to restore damaged structures
- Pocket reduction surgery to eliminate deep pockets
Your periodontist will recommend the appropriate treatment based on the severity of your condition.
Why Is Periodontal Disease a Significant Concern?
Obviously, anything that could cause you to lose your teeth is a big deal. There are a few important reasons why periodontal disease, in particular, needs special attention.
A Silent Disease
We often call periodontal disease a “silent” disease because it is very common for people to be completely unaware of its presence. The early stages may only show subtle signs like occasional bleeding gums or mild bad breath. The initial stage of gingivitis may cause some noticeable symptoms, but the following stages often do not. Without pain or swelling, it is easy for someone who does not see a dentist regularly to be unaware of the slow, quiet erosion of the foundation around their teeth.
Link to Overall Health
Even more important than its silent progression is its link to the health of the rest of your body. Oral health issues can affect blood vessels throughout your body. Countless scientific studies show a link between both the inflammatory and infectious components of periodontal disease and other serious medical conditions. Untreated gum disease can make it more difficult to control blood sugar, causing a negative effect on diabetes.
Periodontal disease is associated with increases in a person’s risk for coronary heart disease, fatal heart attack, and stroke. A recent study found a specific type of bacteria associated with advanced gum disease in plaques in the brains of deceased Alzheimer’s patients. Untreated periodontal disease does not stay in the mouth. It can affect the whole body. Early detection and treatment are essential to completely eradicate the infection before it impacts your overall health. Get your treatment started today with our periodontists in New City.
What Other Conditions Do Periodontists Treat?
Periodontists treat many other conditions in the mouth in addition to gum disease. They perform cosmetic dentistry by improving the appearance of the gums. They surgically place dental implants as an anchor for your dentist to replace missing teeth, including single tooth implant procedures and multiple implants. They improve the shape and size of the jawbone in areas waiting for dental implants. They also perform tooth extraction and sinus lifts to prepare for implants.
Gum Recession
Receding gums may be the result of gum disease, but it also occurs in healthy mouths. Heavy teeth grinding, aggressive tooth brushing, or inappropriate orthodontic movement of the teeth can lead to recession, too. When gums recede, the exposed root becomes vulnerable to sensitivity and decay. Our periodontists in New City can choose from several techniques to either move or replace soft tissue to cover the roots of the teeth. Gum graft procedures restore both gum health and the patient’s ability to smile confidently. This improves both tooth sensitivity and the appearance of your smile.
Excessive Gum Tissue
Some people actually have too much gum tissue or a “gummy” smile. Our periodontists in New City often work in conjunction with cosmetic dentists to remove excess gum tissue and create beautiful smiles. This procedure reshapes the gum line for better aesthetics, particularly around the front tooth area. We also remove gum tissue to give your dentist access to a deep cavity through crown lengthening.
Treating Missing Teeth
Dental implants are the way to replace a missing tooth. As professionals trained in the tissues surrounding a tooth, periodontists are also trained in placing dental implants into those tissues. Through advanced dental medicine techniques, we ensure optimal placement and integration. The implant itself replaces the root of a tooth, and your general dentist builds a crown onto the implant to replace the exposed portion of the tooth. Because periodontal disease can affect dental implants (called peri-implantitis), your periodontist also cares for any problems that arise with dental implants.
Inadequate Jawbone
Replacing missing teeth with dental implants requires a minimum amount of jawbone. In patients who do not meet that minimum, additional treatment is required to build up that area of bone. Bone grafting procedures improve the width and height of bone available for a dental implant. These procedures restore bone tissue to support successful implant placement.
Contact Our Periodontists at Rockland Dental Specialists
Rockland Dental Specialists offers comprehensive periodontal treatment in the New City, NY area. Board-certified periodontist and implantologist Dr. Shalom Mintz, along with Dr. David Peto and our team of periodontists and implant specialists, bring you excellent oral care with more than 24 years of combined experience. They are passionate about helping patients resolve their gum disease and maintain their overall oral health. Whether you need scaling and root planing or advanced surgical procedures, our team creates personalized treatment plans for each patient.
Contact us today to speak with one of our team members about the periodontal and implant services we offer, or book an appointment online.