Much like the foundation of a building, the gums and the bone below them serve as the support and foundation of the teeth and mouth. Healthy, strong teeth can be lost in the presence of gum disease just like a beautiful structure can crumble if it’s support and foundation is compromised. Gum Disease also known as Periodontal Disease is something that we all face as we age. There are millions of bacteria living in our mouths and as we age, our immunity decreases allowing for isolated incidences of inflammation. If our home care habits are sub-par, we further increase the chances of gum inflammation. Gum inflammation or gum disease will sometimes present itself with bleeding gums on brushing or flossing, un-fresh breath or even tooth sensitivity. However, for the most part, it is a silent disease that has devastating consequences on the rest of the major organs and our overall health. The easiest way to diagnose if inflammation is present in your mouth is to have a periodontal exam, a standard of care with every cleaning and checkup. If caught early, gum disease can be arrested and can have a significant impact on your overall health as well as allow you to keep your teeth for the rest of your life.
Gum Tissue is Important to Your Oral Health
Your gum health is just as important as the health of your teeth and jaw bone. Your gums assist in holding your teeth in place, preventing bacteria from attacking your sensitive tooth roots and jaw bone, and adding aesthetics to your smile. When you are affected by gum recession, the soft gum tissue surrounding your teeth begin to pull back from their natural position. Without seeking treatment for receding gums, you run the risk of damage to your teeth and even eventual tooth loss.
Symptoms of Gum Recession:
State-of-the-Art Techniques for Receding Gums
At Williamsburg Dental Arts, we offer leading gum recession treatments to restore longevity to your gum health. We believe in minimally invasive treatments to ensure a faster healing process and more comfort for our patients. Traditional gum grafting involves two surgeries; one to remove a piece of tissue from the roof of the mouth, and a second to suture that tissue to the site of recession. We offer three alternatives for a more gentle and quicker treatment for gum recession:
Restore Your Smile with Experienced, Precise Treatment
Gum recession can be an embarrassing situation that has severe consequences if not treated in a timely and effective manner. Our doctors are extremely precise with every treatment and use surgical microscopes for a detailed and exact view during surgery. For those who may have anxiety about their treatment, we offer effective sedation options to relax you and ensure your gum recession treatment is as painless as possible.
If your smile has been affected by gum recession, schedule an appointment with our office today!
Over 50 percent of all Americans suffer from some degree of gum (periodontal) disease, but with regular hygiene visits, this condition can be prevented (source). Gum disease occurs when bacteria and plaque get below the gum line and infect the hard and soft tissues of the mouth. If treatment is not received, you run the risk of tooth loss and jaw bone deterioration. Research has also found a connection between gum disease and our systemic health, linking it to heart disease and stroke. At Williamsburg Dental Arts, we offer gentle and minimally invasive laser gum disease therapy to keep your mouth clear of infection.
Symptoms of Gum Disease:
Advanced Laser Therapy to Treat Gum Disease
Our practice strives to stay up-to-date with the latest in dental technology to offer our patients an improved experience and modern treatment. This is why we have invested in an advanced BIOLASE® dental laser for minimally invasive treatment of gum disease. This technology uses gentle laser light to eliminate harmful bacteria while leaving healthy tissue unharmed. Plaque buildup is carefully removed to allow for proper gum reattachment and healthy hard and soft tissue is stimulated for regeneration. Unlike traditional gum disease surgery, there is no cutting or sutures involved and very minimal bleeding. Treatment can usually be completed in one visit and patients are able to quickly return to their daily routines.
Keep Your Smile Healthy for a Lifetime with Laser Therapy
Laser gum disease therapy adds longevity to your smile and gum health. By treating gum disease early, we can prevent the destructive effects of periodontitis. And for those who already have advanced gum disease, laser therapy is a gentle alternative for your routine periodontal maintenance visits. Our doctors are skilled and certified in laser dentistry and regularly attend continuing education courses to learn new techniques and treatments for effective care. Most of our patients enjoy the minimally invasive nature of laser surgery when compared to traditional methods, and report a quicker healing time.
If you are experiencing the symptoms of gum disease, contact our office today to experience gentle laser therapy!
Deep Clean Your Tooth Roots and Gums to Prevent Disease
Scaling and root planing is a common dental technique to deep clean your teeth of bacteria and plaque buildup. We utilize ultra-fine dental instruments that can access the area below the gum line where a toothbrush and dental floss are unable to reach. Our doctors will gently scrape away any buildup that is occurring on the tooth roots and causing irritation to the gums. Without this treatment, your gums can begin to recede, exposing the sensitive tooth roots to damage or disease. Scaling and root plaining is often used during periodontal maintenance treatment plans in order to prevent gum disease from recurring.
ARESTIN® is Clinically Proven to Kill Gum Disease Causing Bacteria
Those who are susceptible to gum (periodontal) disease can benefit from gentle ARESTIN® antibiotic treatment in conjunction with scaling and root planing to halt the progression of the disease and kill bacteria infecting gum tissue. ARESTIN is a powder filled with the antibiotic minocycline that kills bacteria within an infected periodontal pocket. Proven in clinical studies, ARESTIN is used to gently fight infection for up to 21 days, controlling the disease and reducing the size of periodontal pockets. This process helps prevent periodontal disease from returning to your gums and is more effective than just scaling and root planing alone.
The latest of the DNA technologies, this easy and sophisticated swab takes less than 30 seconds to perform. If there are signs of early gum disease that are not responding to traditional treatments or if there is a genetic predisposition to gum disease in your family, this is a highly recommended test.
After a 7 day, in-lab analysis, a full spectrum of periodontal DNA markers is available for your doctor to review. By seeing the exact bacterial spectrum, your doctor can then create a specific plan of action to address the pathogenic bioflora with either traditional therapy or a specific probiotic regiment. Say goodbye to bad breath, tooth loss and gum recession ?