Periodontics & Gum Therapy
At Sudbury Dental Group, our dentists provide periodontal care including the treatment of gum disease, cosmetic gum procedures, and placement of dental implants to replace missing teeth.
What is Gum Disease?
Gum (periodontal) disease is an infection of the tissues that support the teeth. Typically caused by poor oral hygiene habits that allow plaque to build up and harden into tartar on the teeth, it eventually reaches the gums.
Left untreated, gum disease can lead to a range of oral health issues including bleeding or inflamed gums, pockets between the gums and teeth filled with bacteria, a receding gum line, and eventual bone loss.
Gum Disease Therapy
Periodontal treatment methods depend upon the severity and type of disease. Our dentists will work with you to develop a treatment plan based on your specific case.
Once your periodontal treatment has been completed, our dental team will recommend that you have routine dental examinations and preventive therapy, usually four times a year.
- Preventive Gum Therapy
If the disease is caught in its early stages, we will recommend preventive therapy.
Regular hygiene cleanings and exams are important for protecting the health of your gums.
By practicing excellent oral hygiene at home and eating a balanced diet, you can also reduce your chances of ever getting gum disease.
- Non-Surgical Gum Therapy
For patients with mild gum disease, a deep cleaning completed by a dental hygienist may be enough to reverse it.
The dental hygienist will scrape away the plaque and tartar around and below the gum line, and smooth any remaining rough areas through a process called scaling and root planing.
- Surgical Gum Therapy
For patients with more advanced forms of gum disease, more invasive surgical treatments may be required to reverse it.
There are a few different types of surgical gum therapy such as gum grafting and bone grafting.
Cosmetic Gum Therapy
If your gums rest too low or too high on your teeth and you are dissatisfied with your smile, gum grafting surgery may be right for you. This cosmetic dental procedure can help to even out an uneven gum line and reduce the perceived length of the teeth to give you a smile you can be proud of.
Placing Dental Implants
Periodontics also includes the placement of dental implants under the gum line as part of the process to replace missing teeth. Once your dentist has placed a dental implant, the gums have healed, and a tooth replacement is added, this procedure can offer a number of oral health benefits.