Treatments for Gum Disease
The health and appearance of your teeth is obviously important, but many people take the health of the gums for granted. Having healthy gums can actually make all the difference in terms of smile aesthetics and overall dental health. When you meet with a skilled Edmonton dentist, you will undergo a comprehensive check-up to ensure that your gums are healthy and free from any major problems.
The team at our centre would like to take a moment right now to focus on the basics regarding gum disease, its causes, and how it can be treated.
What is gum disease?
Gum disease refers to the bacterial infection of the gums. This is caused by the bacteria that naturally occurs in the mouth and causes tooth decay. If allowed to progress, the gum disease can cause the gums to recede and tooth decay to form beneath the gumline. Only advanced general dental care treatment is able to address this dental health issue.
Stages of Gum Disease
There are three stages of gum disease: gingivitis, periodontitis, and advanced periodontitis.
The earliest stage of gum disease (gingivitis) results in bleeding gums, gum discoloration, swollen gums, bad breath, and mild gum recession. In the later stages (periodontitis and advanced periodontitis), the previous symptoms get worse. Loose teeth, tooth misalignment, major discomfort, tooth loss, and infections of the jawbone are all possible.
Treating Gingivitis, Periodontitis, and Advanced Periodontitis
Our Edmonton dentists have a number of options for treatment gum disease. It's first important to get the infection under control. This can be done through the use of special antiseptic rinses and antibiotics. Special cleaning treatments can also be performed as needed.
More advanced therapies will be considered in severe cases of gum disease. Sometimes the diseased soft tissue will need to be treated and removed through the use of advanced dental care lasers.
In general, the earlier that the gum disease is caught and treated, the less invasive the treatment will be.
Restoring the Soft Tissues of the Mouth
Once the bacterial infection of the gum disease is under control, we can then focus on restoring the damage that was done to the gum tissues. A staple of many smile design treatments is the use of gum grafting and gum contouring treatment. These will involve the use of donor soft tissue or artificial gum grafts to rebuild the gumline and restore its overall health.
Restoring Other Damage Caused by Gum Disease
Since gum disease can cause tooth decay to form under the gumline, another important step to treating people who suffered from gum disease is to address tooth damage. For tooth decay beneath the gumline, the use of dental fillings, inlays, onlays, and dental crowns is common.
If a patient experiences tooth loss due to gum disease, Edmonton dental implants are a good option to consider in order to support an artificial tooth.
Learn More About this form of Dental Care Treatments
For more information about your many different options for effective dental care, be sure to contact a dentist today. The entire team here is eager to meet you in person and provide the dental care treatment that enhances the appearance of your smile and your overall health and well-being.
