Regularly brushing your teeth and flossing not only help you maintain a pearly-white smile, but they also protect you from serious health issues like gum disease. Gum disease, or periodontal disease, can develop due to bacterial infection of the gums. Fortunately, there are treatment options for a patient experiencing periodontal disease, including both non-surgical and surgical options.
Bagoff Dental Arts understands how important it is to diagnose gum disease early. If you are struggling with the symptoms of gum disease, schedule an appointment with us. Our team of professionals prioritizes delivering excellent patient care while listening to your concerns, and we want to help you treat your gum disease.
What Does the Progression of Gum Disease Look Like?
The progression of gum disease begins with a very common condition called gingivitis. Known as the first stage of gum disease, gingivitis is caused by the accumulation of bacteria, tartar, and plaque on the teeth. Symptoms of gingivitis include swollen, red, and bleeding gums. Luckily, a person with gingivitis can manage it by brushing their teeth, flossing more regularly at home, and getting routine dental cleanings.
If a person does not treat their gingivitis, they can develop mild and then moderate periodontitis. These stages of gum disease are more serious than gingivitis. With mild periodontitis, a person develops periodontal pockets when their gums begin to separate from their teeth. The pockets catch substances like bacteria and tartar, and regular brushing does not reach the pockets. The patient will often experience some bone loss as a result. With moderate periodontitis, the erosion of bone and tissue around the teeth worsens, and the patient will experience sore gums.
Finally, advanced-stage periodontitis is the most severe stage of gum disease. A person with this condition will likely experience bleeding gums, infected abscesses, lost teeth, lost gum tissue, and serious bacterial infections. A patient exhibiting symptoms of advanced-stage periodontitis should seek treatment from a professional as soon as possible before more bone and tissue are lost.
What Are the Treatment Options for Gum Disease?
If a patient is diagnosed with gum disease in the early stages, non-surgical treatment options may be sufficient to treat the disease. Such treatment options may include antibiotics and/or deep dental cleanings called scaling and root planing. This deep cleaning process involves the numbing of the gums so that bacteria beneath the gum line can be cleaned away. During this process, the teeth roots will be smoothed in order to prevent more buildup of bacteria under the gum line.
If a patient is diagnosed with a more severe stage of gum disease, the best treatment option may be a surgical one. One such surgery is called flap surgery, during which an oral surgeon will separate the patient’s gums from their teeth in order to clean bacteria and other substances from the teeth roots.
Other surgical options include bone grafts to treat lost bone tissue and gum grafts to treat lost gum tissue. Finally, guided tissue regeneration and platelet-rich plasma treatment are procedures designed to promote the regeneration of lost bone tissue. You should consult with an experienced oral surgeon to determine which treatment option is best for you.
Let Bagoff Dental Arts Treat Your Gum Disease
When untreated, gum disease will negatively impact your health. Patients should regularly brush their teeth, floss, and have routine professional dental cleanings in order to prevent the development of periodontal disease. Our team wants to help you treat your gum disease so that you can start smiling again without any painful symptoms.
Bagoff Dental Arts has an experienced team of professionals who know how to diagnose and treat gum disease. We value our patients, and we want to make sure you receive the best treatment possible for your gum disease. To schedule an appointment, you can reach our office by calling (973) 325-9000 or by filling out our contact form today.
