Dental Services
Gum Disease
Gum disease (periodontal disease or periodontitis) attacks quietly, most people are completely unaware the condition is developing and worsening. Technically, this condition is caused by the toxins released by plaque. This occurs when plaque continually accumulates at and below the gumline. These toxins eat-away at the supportive tissues which hold your teeth in place; destroying the surrounding bone and in some cases causing decay on the root surfaces of your teeth. The main cause for this happening is the infrequency in regular dental cleanings combined with the impossibility of being able to remove all plaque from all surfaces of your teeth and gums every single time you brush and floss. This is why regular dental cleanings are so important; it is the only way to fully remove all the plaque and calculus (tartar or hardened plaque) from your teeth, especially once it has started accumulating at and below the gumline. At your regular visits, the hygienist or dentist uses a special instrument, called a perio probe, to measure the distance from the top of the gum tissue, down to the point where the tooth is attached. Each tooth is measured in 6 locations around it. Healthy pocket depths are 3mm or less, at this depth your homecare efforts can effectively remove plaque from around the teeth. Any measurement 4mm or greater is a problem, the larger the number the worse the condition in that area. Most patients have gingivitis (inflammation of the gum tissues) by the time they are due for a cleaning or shortly after missing a cleaning. This is detectible by bleeding when you floss or brush and as long as there has not been any bone loss (pocketing 3mm or less) this condition is solved with a regular preventive cleaning or if there is an abnormal amount of calculus, sometimes 2 cleanings a couple weeks apart will be needed to get you back on track.
Unfortunately, the early symptoms of gum disease (bleeding gums and bad breath) are either considered normal by some or are completely undetected until the condition is severe. The diagrams in the picture above show three stages of gum disease. If we are able to catch the condition before it is too advanced, there is a chance the condition can be handled with a treatment called, Scaling and Root Planing. This procedure is a deep cleaning and smoothing of the tooth surfaces BELOW the gumline. Patients are numbed for the procedure and usually have the treatment done one half of the mouth at a time, as it is a lengthy procedure. Once done, the tissues can begin firming up and reconnecting to the tooth, to lessen the depth of the pockets around the tooth which were created by the destruction of this disease. During this healing process, patients return every 3 months for cleanings to insure these areas are kept clean. Depending on your condition, home care, and other factors some patients are able to go back to an every 6 month schedule after a year of more frequent cleaning visits. Some patients may remain on a 3 month cleaning, especially if the disease was more advanced when initially treatment. The greater amount of bone loss, the less likely the bone and tissues will ever get to a depth that is manageable without frequent cleanings. If your condition is already in the advanced stages or continues to worsen after scaling and root planing, you will be referred to a Periodontist (a specialist in surgical treatments for gum disease). There are surgical procedures which you may be able to receive that can help save your teeth and make your condition more manageable.
Our hygienists will provide you with all the pertinent information about your condition, the treatments needed, and the home care changes you can implement to help insure you keep your mouth in a healthy condition. Don't worry, if you are doing a great job, they will let you know that too!
If it has been over 6 months since your last dental cleaning, don't wait any longer.
Give us a call at 913-631-2626 to schedule your next examination and cleaning or if you would be a new patient, then your first exam and cleaning. If you have a crazy schedule and calling is not convenient, you can Email Us for an appointment time.
Unfortunately, the early symptoms of gum disease (bleeding gums and bad breath) are either considered normal by some or are completely undetected until the condition is severe. The diagrams in the picture above show three stages of gum disease. If we are able to catch the condition before it is too advanced, there is a chance the condition can be handled with a treatment called, Scaling and Root Planing. This procedure is a deep cleaning and smoothing of the tooth surfaces BELOW the gumline. Patients are numbed for the procedure and usually have the treatment done one half of the mouth at a time, as it is a lengthy procedure. Once done, the tissues can begin firming up and reconnecting to the tooth, to lessen the depth of the pockets around the tooth which were created by the destruction of this disease. During this healing process, patients return every 3 months for cleanings to insure these areas are kept clean. Depending on your condition, home care, and other factors some patients are able to go back to an every 6 month schedule after a year of more frequent cleaning visits. Some patients may remain on a 3 month cleaning, especially if the disease was more advanced when initially treatment. The greater amount of bone loss, the less likely the bone and tissues will ever get to a depth that is manageable without frequent cleanings. If your condition is already in the advanced stages or continues to worsen after scaling and root planing, you will be referred to a Periodontist (a specialist in surgical treatments for gum disease). There are surgical procedures which you may be able to receive that can help save your teeth and make your condition more manageable.
Our hygienists will provide you with all the pertinent information about your condition, the treatments needed, and the home care changes you can implement to help insure you keep your mouth in a healthy condition. Don't worry, if you are doing a great job, they will let you know that too!
If it has been over 6 months since your last dental cleaning, don't wait any longer.
Give us a call at 913-631-2626 to schedule your next examination and cleaning or if you would be a new patient, then your first exam and cleaning. If you have a crazy schedule and calling is not convenient, you can Email Us for an appointment time.