Periodontal or gum diseases (gingivitis and periodontitis) are chronic infections that destroy the gums and the supportive structures of the teeth, leading to tooth loss. While these diseases can vary in severity, if left untreated, gum disease can lead to tooth loss.
Dental Health Center of Holmdel’s highly skilled periodontist works very closely with patients in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of gum disease. You can feel comforted to know that he, along with our team of dentists and staff, is dedicated to helping you understand your risks for gum disease and likewise the effect of gum disease on your overall health.
Causes of Periodontal Disease
The primary cause of periodontal disease is bacteria found in plaque. When not removed from the teeth, plaque can harden and become a substance called calculus (tartar). Tartar must be removed by a dental professional, and in some cases may require minor surgery.
Your Risks for Periodontal Disease
You can have periodontal disease and not know it until your supporting gums and teeth are damaged. Some conditions putting people at higher risk for gum disease are smoking, certain medications, teeth grinding, poor diet and genetics.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
Prevention
Periodontal disease can occur at any age. More than half of all people over age 18 have at least the early stage of periodontal disease.
Root Planing and Scaling for Gum Disease
As a first step in treating gum disease, the periodontist performs a thorough cleaning which may include scaling to remove tartar deposits beneath your gumline. He then smoothes or planes the root surfaces of the teeth, thus making it more difficult for plaque to build up along the root surfaces.
Follow up visits with your periodontist are essential to prevent periodontal disease from becoming more serious or recurring.
Dental Health Center of Holmdel utilizes an award winning technology, the AMD Picasso Diode Soft Tissue LASER “AMD Picasso” in conjunction with scaling and root planing. Use of the soft tissue laser in the treatment of gum disease enhances the speed and extent of the patient’s gingival healing and post-operative comfort.
Osseous surgery is performed by a periodontist to reshape the bone that holds a tooth (or teeth) in place to eliminate defects caused by periodontitism, a form of gum disease.
What is Periodontitis?
Periodontitis occurs when gingivitis
(inflammation or infection of the gums) is untreated or treatment is delayed.
Infection and inflammation spreads from the gums to the ligaments and bone that
support the teeth. Loss of ligament and bone support causes the teeth to become
loose and eventually fall out. Periodontitis is the primary cause of tooth loss
in adults. Periodontitis causes holes in the bone around teeth. Osseous surgery reshapes the bone and
gets rid of the holes.
Osseous Surgery Described
Patients requiring osseous surgery are first required to undergo initial periodontal therapy (scaling and root planing). Your periodontist will also evaluate your overall health and hygiene in consideration of the osseous procedure.
Post Osseous Surgery
It is critical to keep your mouth as clean as possible while the surgical site is healing. Your periodontist will provide instructions based on your individual needs for proper brushing, flossing, and rinsing as well as care of the surgical site. A post surgical check-up with your periodontist will be scheduled within 7 to 10 days.
For healthy patients, teeth are surrounded by gingival (gum) and mucosa tissue:
Gingival (Gum tissue) appears pink, thick, and dense under a microscope. Gingival tissue forms a seal around your teeth, serving as a guard against the penetration of bacteria to the underlying supporting bone. Gum tissue helps to prevent damage from eating and brushing.
Mucosa tissue is found directly below gum tissue. Mucosa tissue is red, thin, and appears loose under a microscope. Mucosa tissue does not seal tightly around the tooth, nor does it withstand trauma very well.
When there is only minor recession of your gums, there can still be protection for your teeth and home care treatments can be prescribed. However, when your gums recede to the mucosa tissue, the first line of defense against bacterial penetration and trauma is lost. Consequently, no matter how meticulous you are in controlling bacteria, there are risks of bacteria penetration that affect the bone around your teeth.
When your gums recede to a point where health problems occur, gingival grafting may be suggested by your dentist or periodontist.
What is a Gingival Graft?
Your periodontist may remove a thin piece of tissue from the roof or your mouth or move tissue into the proper place from adjacent areas to establish a stable strip of attached gum around the affected tooth or teeth. This gum barrier prevents further recession and infection at the affected site. If roots are exposed, they can be covered by placing a graft directly over the site.
Benefits of Gingival Grafting
Gingival grafting provides for a
stable, healthy band of tissue. This healthy band of tissue reseals and
protects the tooth and underlying bone.
Benefits of Gingival Grafting
In addition, gingival grafts are non-traumatic, require less time off for patients, and offer excellent long-term results.
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure to replace or build up the bone around the teeth as a result of bone loss or bone destruction from periodontal disease, trauma, or poor fitting removable dentures. Bone grafting is also used to augment bone to permit implant placement.
A frenectomy is the removal of folds of tissue or muscle (frenum) connecting the lips, cheek or tongue to the jawbone.
Under what
conditions is a frenectomy performed?
When the frenum interferes with the
patient’s speaking (tongue tied), swallowing, chewing, smiling or is causing
unusual separation between the teeth, a frenectomy is required.
At Dental Health Center of Holmdel, the dentists or periodontists use a soft tissue diode laser to perform a frenectomy, resulting in a painless procedure with minimal bleeding at the treatment site and improved healing.
Crown lengthening is a dental procedure for the removal of gum tissue, bone or both to expose more of a tooth's structure.
Before and After
What is the purpose of Crown Lengthening?
Crown lengthening is performed when a tooth needs to be restored (given a crown or filling), but there is not enough tooth structure exposed above the gum line to support a crown or filling.
Crown Lengthening Procedure
Although you may have just one tooth requiring crown lengthening, a crown
lengthening procedure may include adjacent teeth so that the tissues can be
reshaped gradually. If only soft tissue is removed, the procedure probably will
take less time than if both soft tissue and bone are removed.
At Dental Health Center of Holmdel, the dentists or periodontists use a soft tissue diode laser as part of the crown lengthening procedure, resulting in minimal pain and bleeding at the treatment site as well as improved healing.
Once the crown lengthening procedure is complete, your teeth will look longer because the gums are now sitting at a lower position then before the surgery. Complete healing of your gums is imperative before your tooth is fitted for its final filling or crown.
Is this VelScope or something else.
Oral cancer is preventable and can be cured if detected early.
Cancer is a disease characterized by the abnormal growth and spread of malignant cells. In the early stages, mouth cancer is painless. Pain occurs only in the more advanced stages.
Mouth cancer occurs more commonly in patients with poor oral hygiene. Smokers and heavy drinkers have the highest incidence of oral cancer.
Ninety percent of all cases of oral cancer are curable when caught and treated early. Oral cancer has one of the highest cure rates of all cancers.
What are signs and symptoms of oral cancer?
Although no two patients are alike, there are some common warning signs and symptoms or oral cancer. Please contact your dentist immediately if you notice:
How can I reduce my chances of developing Oral Cancer?
While no one is completely free from the threat of oral cancer, there are a number of steps you can take to minimize your risks:
The best defense against oral cancer is you. If you have questions about oral cancer or would like to schedule an oral cancer screening, please contact Dental Health Center of Holmdel at 732.946.4244.