Periodontal Services

Periodontal disease (also called periodontitis or gum disease) is a bacterial infection that destroys the supporting structures that hold your teeth in place. Your gums are the first line of defense against bacterial infection, but once the infection has broken through them, it will begin to attack the ligaments and bone that hold the teeth in the mouth. It is in this stage of periodontitis that loss of bone due to bacterial erosion can occur, which will then cause the pocket (space between the gum and tooth) to grow deeper and wider. 

Periodontitis is often a silent disease as those who suffer from it rarely experience pain, and may not even be aware that there is a problem. The early stages of gum disease are seldom painful, and carry with them very few warning signs. Some of the early warnings to look for are slight bleeding while brushing, softening of the gums, and discoloration of the gums (darker red/irritated in appearance rather than a light, healthy pink). As the disease progresses, more noticeable signs may become more predominant. 

Some examples of these more serious indicators are:
– Swollen gums
– Inflamed gums 
– Bright red or purple gums 
– Receding gums that make your teeth look longer 
– Trench mouth (thrush)
– Spaces developing between teeth
– Persistent bad taste
– Sores in the mouth
– Chronic bad breath (halitosis)
– Loose teeth
– Pus between the teeth and gum line (pyorrhea) 
– Tender gums when touched 
– Change in the way teeth fit together when you bite

Our Services Include:
Cleaning and Teeth Polishing: Dental cleanings involve removing plaque (soft, sticky, bacteria infested film) and tartar (calculus) deposits that have built up on the teeth over time. The purpose of the cleaning and polishing is basically to leave the surfaces of the teeth clean and smooth so that bacteria are unable to stick to them and you have a better chance of keeping the teeth clean during your regular home care. A variety of instruments is available to us, which we utilize to carry out this procedure. Amongst them, include hand scalars and curettes, piezo-electric ultrasonic scalers and rotary instruments.

Crown Lengthening: This is a simple surgical procedure where gum tissue is removed, bone or both to expose more of a tooth.

Osseous Surgery: Osseous Surgery is designed to modify and reshape deformities in the alveolar bone surrounding the teeth. It is a common requirement in effective treatment of more involved periodontal diseases. In some instances, the bony support of the tooth assumes an unusual configuration as a result of uneven progression of the disease. When this occurs, modification of the altered bone support may be indicated.

Gingivectomy: Gingivectomy is periodontal surgery that removes and reforms diseased gum tissue or other gingival buildup related to serious underlying conditions. For more chronic gingival conditions, gingivectomy is utilized after other non-surgical methods have been tried, and before gum disease has advanced enough to jeopardize the ligaments and bone supporting the teeth.