Gum Disease Treatments and Pregnancy Care

At Preston Smiles, we provide a range of gum treatments for a range of gum conditions. Early interception is important, so please call so we can help.

Gum Disease (also known as Periodontal Disease)

Advanced gum disease, called periodontitis, affects almost half of Australians over the age of 30. As common as the condition is, tooth loss is often the unfortunate outcome when left untreated. But today, with so many successful treatment options available for advanced periodontal disease, losing teeth doesn’t have to be your next step with an unhealthy gumline.

Gingivitis to Periodontitis
Gum disease is a sneaky, progressive disease, and here’s why: The first stage, called gingivitis, occurs when bacterial plaque is not thoroughly removed from your teeth. Red, swollen and bleeding gums are the telltale signs of this infection, but this condition is easily reversible with daily brushing and flossing – and a professional cleaning at the dentist’s office.
When left untreated, however, gingivitis can progress into a more serious condition called periodontitis. Toxins from this buildup of bacterial plaque not only affect your gum tissue, but also the bone and ligaments that support your teeth. As the infection causes disease to the bone and supporting tissues, your teeth may eventually become loose and need to be treated surgically or removed. But even advanced cases of periodontal disease don’t have to progress to this point.

Pregnancy Gingivitis
Your teeth, gums and mouth are affected by hormonal changes during pregnancy. You will usually notice changes in the health of your gums around the two month mark. Your gums may bleed easily when you brush or floss, a sign of gum disease commonly known as pregnancy gingivitis. Though it is often temporary, it can seriously weaken the tissues that hold your teeth in place.

Nonsurgical Periodontal Disease Treatments

Initial periodontal treatment is a conservative, nonsurgical treatment called scaling and root planing (SRP). We provide this treatment by scraping and removing the plaque and tartar off of your teeth and root surfaces by scaling, and then smoothing away any roughness on the roots to prevent bacteria from gathering again. Root planing often takes more than one visit and a local anesthetic can be used to prevent any discomfort. After this process, the gums will heal and reattach themselves to the healthy, clean surfaces of the teeth. Routine followup appointments with the team at Preston Smiles will evaluate your healing and decide if further treatment is necessary.

Periodontal Maintenance

Anyone who has had treatment for advanced periodontal disease knows that meticulous home care is the key to keeping periodontal disease from recurring. Because personal oral care is a big part of any periodontal treatment plan, we will spend lots of time with you making sure you understand and implement proper brushing and flossing techniques at home.
In addition to not smoking, which inhibits the healing process, your dentist will also recommend keeping a close eye on your periodontal health with more frequent checkups and cleaning appointments.

Gum Grafts

Exposed roots due to gum recession can be covered with gum grafts, where gum tissue is taken from your palate generally and used to cover the roots of one or more teeth. Covering exposed roots helps reduce sensitivity and protects your roots from decay, while stopping further gum recession and bone loss.

Surgical, Pocket Reduction Treatments

After scaling and root planing, if the gum tissue is not fitting snugly around the tooth and you can’t keep the deep pocket area clean, you may be a candidate for periodontal pocket reduction or flap surgery. By folding back the gum tissue, your dentist or periodontist can remove infectious bacteria and smooth areas of damaged bone, allowing the gum tissue to reattach to healthy bone.

Regenerative Procedures

Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that promotes the growth of bone in an area where bone has been destroyed by periodontal disease. During this type of treatment, we or your specialist will eliminate bacteria and then place either natural or synthetic bone in the area of bone loss, along with tissue-stimulating proteins to help your body effectively regrow bone and tissue.

Gum Contouring

We offer gum contouring to shape the gums for an improved smile. Advanced techniques in laser dentistry are used to remove excess gum tissue to give you a beautiful smile. A diode laser allows us to contour the gums without stitches, minimal bleeding and quick healing times.