A Dentist for Teeth Support

If genetics and bad habits have given you painful and discolored teeth, odds are that your gums are in poor condition as well. Depending upon the stage of tooth decay, you may require general services such as a deep cleaning and a few root canals, or surgery as advanced as multiple laser cavity extractions, dental implants and crown prosthesis in order to prevent further loss. Nonetheless, if during your first appointment it is discovered that you need extensive work, you can be encouraged that teeth can be replaced; but, once gum tissue and jaw bone are lost they are gone for good. So, the American Dental Association (ADA) deemed gum care a significant enough area of the profession to recognize it as an area specialty known as periodontics.

A visit to a dentist in this area of expertise means that you are currently experiencing moderate to severe disease and deterioration of your gums, cementum, periodontal ligaments, and alveolar bone. Your gums are visible when you smile and any pus, bleeding, and swelling is especially noticeable when cleaning. Further, the cementum covers the roots of your teeth; periodontal ligaments are known as fibrous connective tissue that keep each tooth in place and alveolar bone is best described as ridges of bone sockets that your teeth fit into. One of the lesser known causes of dental issues is repetitive clenching of the teeth. This process places inordinate pressure on the periodontal ligaments making them susceptible to loosening and breakdown from gum diseases.

We know that untreated gingivitis can lead to periodontitis disease of the gums. Yet, periodontitis is a swelling around the entire tooth even below the gum line that leads to exposure of the tooth root where the most sensitive area of the gums, the periodontal ligaments and alveolar bone are accessed through developed pockets between the gums and the teeth. Due to the fact that this disease causes the teeth’s supporting structures to deteriorate, the teeth will be left to gradually shift and cause your bite to be misaligned.

A periodontal dentist can improve your overall oral health with restorative non-surgical and surgical treatments. If your condition can be assisted without surgery, your physician will utilize the procedure of scaling and root planning to remove plaque, tartar, and bacterial toxins from below the gum line. He or she will use traditional steel tools or a laser to achieve the best results. Yet, if these processes do not bring forth the reduced gum pockets and infection then surgery can be used. Periodontal surgery includes pocket reduction, bone grafts and the use of tissue stimulating proteins in order to encourage regeneration of significant loss in those areas, for example. But, after disease has brought on such irrevocable gum recession and loss, soft tissue grafts can be used to restore your gum line, in order to protect your tooth root and remaining gums. These are only a few examples of how a periodontal dentist can help save your bite and smile with restorative and cosmetic procedures.

In the end, it is important to realize that your gums and unseen supporting tooth structures aren’t just for smiles and show. They provide the hold that keeps your teeth in place and inside of your jaw for chewing. If you haven’t taken the best care of your teeth, make sure to have a thorough evaluation as soon as possible for your first or next general appointment. A periodontal dentist can use their specific training and experience to restore the health of the symbiotic relationship between your teeth, tissue, and fibrous proteins by saving your oral health from the inside out.