Periodontology / Gum Disease
Gum disease is one of the most common oral diseases and affects people of all ages. Caused by a build-up of plaque and bacteria on the gum line, gum disease can lead to bleeding, inflammation and redness and if left to progress, can lead to tooth loss.
Gum disease can also be aggravated by:
- Smoking
- Lack of brushing or flossing
- If you have diabetes or other chronic diseases
- Certain medications
If you spot signs of gum disease you can initially treat these at home by stepping up your hygiene routine and using dentist-approved products. If your symptoms do not improve, your Envisage Dental Emsworth dentist and dental hygienist will recommend a personal oral health plan to address your individual needs. Gum hygiene is important to ensure that your teeth remain supported and healthy.
Advanced gum disease - Periodontitis
The first stage of gum disease, known as gingivitis, can be simple to reverse. However, if left to progress it can develop into a more advanced form of gum disease known as periodontitis, resulting in the formation of gaps between the gums and teeth, known as pockets. More plaque can collect in these pockets and thus continue the progression of the disease. As the pockets deepen, the plaque becomes more inaccessible to cleaning, more extensive and more toxic. This leads to increasing damage to the supporting bone around the roots of the teeth.
Periodontal treatment is provided by our highly skilled dentist, with advanced skills in treating periodontal cases, who will clean the pockets around teeth to prevent damage to surrounding bone. The majority of Periodontal treatment involves non surgical treatment, thoroughly cleaning the tooth root surface. However, advanced cases may it also involve surgical and restorative techniques.
Gum surgery for implants
Implants can get gum disease just like teeth can, which is why its very important to ensure that you are cleaning them well on a day to day basis. The response to deep cleaning around implants is more unpredictable and the bone loss around implants can happen very quickly. In this case then surgery to allow access for cleaning and ensuring the implant threads are thoroughly cleaned is the best option.
Gum surgery for recession
Sometimes gums can recede not from a disease process but from having “thin” gums, overzealous brushing, and orthodontic treatment. Receding gums can make your teeth appear long and can make people feel self-conscious when they smile. Gum grafting allows us to replenish the lost gum tissue, providing support for your teeth.
Gum surgery for tooth wear or aesthetics
With excessive grinding or erosion of enamel, the teeth can appear noticeably short and broken, these teeth are extremely hard to repair. In these situations, then you may also be referred to me for “crown lengthening” this is a type of gum surgery where bone is removed from around the tooth or teeth to provide the dentist with more tooth structure to allow for a long-term well-fitting crown or restoration. In other cases, people do not like their “gummy smile” and crown lengthening can also be used to make the teeth appear longer.
Periodontal maintenance plans
Some people are a lot more susceptible to gum disease than others. This can be sometimes due to genetics or existing health issues. If you have severe gum disease, the best way to keep on top of the condition is through regular maintenance and monitoring with regular “pocket charting” and radiographic assessment.
If you are suffering with symptoms of gum disease book a review with our dental hygiene team today.
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