Treatment of gums disease is very important for the long-term functioning of your teeth. Gums are soft tissue surrounding the teeth. Gums are firmly attached to the bone and form a seal around the teeth also provide support to teeth.
What causes gum disease and how can you treat it?
This can have several causes. The most serious cause is periodontal disease, also known as gum disease. While there’s no cure for periodontal disease, you can and should manage it. The health of your mouth and teeth depend on it. In a healthy mouth, the gums are pink and the gum line is consistent around all the teeth.
Is gum surgery necessary?
Therefore, even though surgery can be time-consuming, it is absolutely necessary for preventing more serious problems. The goal of gum surgery is to restore the size, shape and health of the gums. This can involve suturing real or synthetic tissue to the gums and re-securing them back around the teeth.
Do I need a dental cleaning for gum disease?
Dental cleanings are not a treatment for active gum disease. They are, though, an important preventive measure that can help you stave off its development. Scaling and root planing.
What are some treatments for gum disease that don't involve surgery?
Treatments for gum disease that don't involve surgery include: 1 Professional dental cleaning. During a typical checkup your dentist or dental hygienist will remove the plaque and... 2 Scaling and root planing. This is a deep-cleaning, nonsurgical procedure, done under a local anesthetic, whereby plaque... More ...
Why do I need a gum treatment?
Gum Disease Treatments Patients whose gingivitis has progressed into periodontal disease will often need to undergo a dental procedure called deep cleaning (also known as root scaling and planning). In this procedure, the dentist will scrape away the plaque and tartar off the teeth above and below the gum line.
When do you need gum treatment?
2. Gum (Periodontal) surgery may be recommended if there is significant separation between your gums and teeth. During this procedure, your gums will be carefully folded aside to reveal the true extent of the infection. In some cases, the bone around the infected teeth will be shaped to speed up healing.
Who needs gum grafting?
Gum graft surgery is recommended when the gums have receded enough to expose the roots of your teeth. As the gums recede, they form pockets between the tooth and the gums, which become a breeding ground for bacteria buildup.
What does gum treatment involve?
The early stages of gum disease may only require non-surgical treatment. The most well-known type of non-surgical treatment is known as scaling and root planning, a minor procedure involves careful removal of plaque and tartar from the affected gums, and smooth the tooth root to remove any bacterial toxins.
What type of gum diseases are there?
There are two types of diseases that can affect the gums: gingivitis and periodontitis. Together, gingivitis and periodontitis are referred to as gum disease or periodontal disease.
What causes gum disease?
Overview. Periodontal (gum) disease is an infection of the tissues that hold your teeth in place. It's typically caused by poor brushing and flossing habits that allow plaque—a sticky film of bacteria—to build up on the teeth and harden.
How do you know if you need gum surgery?
People with severe or advanced disease around their gums and the tissues that support their teeth are usually candidates for periodontal surgery. If you have gum disease, your symptoms might include: gums that are swollen, red, or bleeding. deep pockets that form between your gums and teeth.
Is gum surgery painful?
The actual gum grafting procedure is painless. This is because a local anesthetic is used to numb the affected area. A periodontist, who is a dental specialist in gum disease and the gums, typically performs this procedure. You may instead feel some movement or pressure as your periodontist performs the procedure.
What causes gums to recede?
The most common cause for gum recession is a bacterial infection called periodontal (gum) disease that most often arises from plaque, a thin film of bacteria and food particles accumulating on teeth. Gum disease in turn weakens the gums causes them to recede.
How long does a gum treatment take?
How long does it take to treat gingivitis? Patients who comply with their dentist's recommendations will often see their condition reduce dramatically within two or three weeks. More serious stages of gingivitis may take longer to see results.
Is periodontal treatment painful?
Will treatment hurt? You can expect some discomfort from periodontal treatment, but it will probably be much less than you fear. The high fear factor is one of the reasons why people don't see the dentist soon enough when they notice symptoms.
What does a gum disease specialist do?
A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating gum disease. They also help you manage signs of advancing gum problems like oral inflammation. Gum disease happens when the tissue around your teeth gets infected, causing inflammation.
Can receding gums rebuild?
The simple answer is, no. If your gums are damaged by, for example periodontitis, the most severe form of gum disease, it's not possible for receding gums to grow back. However, even though receding gums can't be reversed there are treatments that can help to stop the problem from getting worse.
How long does it take for gingivitis to turn into periodontitis?
Slight Periodontal Disease During the early gingivitis stages, gum inflammation can occur in as little as five days. Within two to three weeks, the signs of generalized gingivitis become more noticeable. If you still leave this untreated, it would progress to slight periodontal disease.
How do you know if your gums are receding?
Try running a finger over your teeth. In a case of receding gums, you can often feel a notch where your gumline used to be. Sensitivity is a very common sign gums are receding. If your teeth feel more sensitive to hot and cold foods or liquids, see your dentist.
Can I reverse receding gums?
Gum recession can't be reversed. This means receded gum tissue won't grow back. However, you can keep the problem from getting worse. Treatment usually depends on the cause of the gum problems.
How to treat gum disease?
Some treatments for gum disease are surgical. Some examples are: Flap surgery/pocket reduction surgery. During this procedure the gums are lifted back and the tartar is removed. In some cases, irregular surfaces of the damaged bone are smoothed to limit areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide.
Why are gums placed around teeth?
The gums are then placed so that the tissue fits snugly around the tooth. This method reduces the size of the space between the gum and tooth, thereby decreasing the areas where harmful bacteria can grow and decreasing the chance of serious health problems associated with periodontal disease. Bone grafts.
How long does it take for a tooth to heal from root planing?
The medication is available as a mouth rinse or as a gelatin-filled chip that is placed in pockets after root planing and releases the medication slowly over about 7 days. Other antibiotics, including doxycycline, tetracycline, and minocycline (Arestin) may also be used to treat gum disease, as determined by your dentist.
Why is the bone around the tooth reshaped after flap surgery?
Smoothes shallow craters in the bone due to moderate and advanced bone loss. Following flap surgery, the bone around the tooth is reshaped to decrease the craters. This makes it harder for bacteria to collect and grow.
What is the procedure to fill gums?
Soft tissue grafts. This procedure reinforces thin gums or fills in places where gums have receded. Grafted tissue, most often taken from the roof of the mouth, is stitched in place, adding tissue to the affected area. Guided tissue regeneration.
Can a periodontist perform a dental procedure?
Your dentist or periodontist is able to perform most procedures in their office. The time needed to perform the procedure, your degree of discomfort, and time needed to heal will vary from patient to patient depending on the type and extent of the procedure and your overall health.
What is the goal of gum surgery?
The goal of gum surgery is to restore the size, shape and health of the gums. This can involve suturing real or synthetic tissue to the gums and re-securing them back around the teeth. In some cases, lasers may also be used to regenerate gum growth.
Why do gums elongate after surgery?
Very often, surgery is the only way to restore health because the gums have begun to recede and pull away from the tooth structure. When they do this, the gums can appear elongated. Sometimes, the base of the tooth and roots will become exposed, creating an increased likelihood of developing a serious infection.
Why do you need surgery?
Why surgery is necessary. Some patients need to have surgery in order to recover because of how severe the gum disease has become. A general dentist will typically make a recommendation to have surgery after completing a thorough examination. Very often, surgery is the only way to restore health because the gums have begun to recede ...
Do I need gum surgery?
Do I Really Need Gum Surgery? Posted on: March 16, 2018. Gum surgery may be necessary for anyone who is suffering from gum disease. This is a common and very serious condition. In fact, most adults will suffer from some form of gingivitis during their lifetime.
Can you lose your teeth with gum disease?
Many people with gum disease end up suffering from loose teeth as more of the tooth structure is exposed. This is something that should be avoided whenever possible because it is both expensive and terribly inconvenient to suffer from adult tooth loss. Therefore, even though surgery can be time-consuming, it is absolutely necessary ...
Can gingivitis be healed?
If the gingivitis is minor in nature, it may be possible to heal the gum s by simply performing a cleaning. If the gum disease is left untreated, it may be necessary to schedule surgery. This is why it is important to visit a dentist at the first sign of a problem and seek treatment right away.
Is it bad to not treat gum disease?
The risk of not treating gum disease. Few patients are excited upon hearing that they need to have surgery. However, there are serious risks involved with not taking the appropriate treatment steps. Many adults that suffer from tooth loss do so because they had untreated gum disease.
What Are the Symptoms of Gum Disease?
Healthy gums fit snugly around the teeth and are pale pink in color but if you are suffering from gum disease you may experience the following symptoms:
What Are the Causes of Gum Disease?
Gum disease begins with the plaque which is a sticky film of bacteria. When it is left untreated plaque can advance to periodontitis.
When to Visit Your Dentist for an Evaluation?
It would be great if you can maintain your regular dental checkups as recommended by your dentist. If you observe any signs or symptoms of periodontitis you should be making an appointment right away because the sooner you obtain the treatment the better it will be to reverse the damage from this condition.
Treatment for Gum Disease
Periodontal treatment may be provided by your dentist or even a dental hygienist. The objective of the treatment is to thoroughly clean the pockets on the teeth and prevent any damage from affecting the surrounding bone. If your condition hasn’t advanced less invasive procedures may be used during periodontal treatment. The treatments may include:
Scaling and Root Planing
Scaling can remove tartar and bacteria from the surfaces of your tooth and below the gums. It is performed either by using dental instruments, ultrasonic devices or lasers.
How to prevent receding gums?
A healthy lifestyle will also help prevent receding gums. This means eating a balanced diet and quitting smoking and smokeless tobacco. Try to see your dentist twice per year, even if you take great care of your teeth and gums.
How to get rid of gums that are receding?
Brushing your teeth too hard may also cause your gums to recede. Here are some tips for brushing your teeth: Use a soft to othbrush instead of one with hard bristles. Be gentle as you brush. Let the bristles do the work, not your arm muscles. Brush at least twice per day, and for at least two minutes at a time.
Why do my teeth pull back?
If you’ve noticed that your teeth look a little longer or your gums seem to be pulling back from your teeth, you have receding gums. This can have several causes. The most serious cause is periodontal disease, also known as gum disease. While there’s no cure for periodontal disease, you can and should manage it.
What happens when your gums are receding?
In addition to less gum tissue around the teeth, receding gums often result in: bad breath. swollen and red gums. a bad taste in your mouth. loose teeth. You may notice that your bite is different. You may also notice some pain or that your gums are especially tender.
How do you know if your gums are pulling away?
If you look closely at all of your teeth, you may also notice the gum pulling away from the root of one or more teeth. Gum recession tends to happen gradually. You may not notice a difference in your gums from one day to the next.
How to stop gum recession?
To slow or stop the progression of gum recession, you’ll have to take charge of your oral health. See your dentist twice per year if possible. Follow your dentist’s instructions about proper oral hygiene. If your gum recession is serious, you may want to consult with a periodontist. This is a specialist in gum disease.
What causes a recession in the gums?
Other causes of gum recession. Additional causes of gum recession include the following: Sports injury or other trauma to the mouth. For example, body piercing studs of the lip or tongue can rub against the gum tissue, causing recession. Smoking.
Why do dentists clean teeth?
A deep teeth cleaning helps get rid of bad breath and promotes healing of gum disease. Deep cleanings do have risks, so it’s important to understand possible complications or side effects.
Why do you need antibiotics after a dental cleaning?
If your immune system is compromised, you might have to take an antibiotic for a few days. That’s because there’s a risk of infection after the procedure. In addition, deep dental cleanings can sometimes release bacteria into the bloodstream.
What happens if you leave plaque on your gums?
This includes gingivitis, which is inflammation of the gums. If left untreated, gingivitis can advance to periodontitis. This is a serious infection that destroys the bone that supports the teeth.
How long does it take for a tooth scaling appointment?
Each visit can take 1 to 2 hours. The tooth scaling appointment is when your dentist removes plaque and tartar from below the gumline. During the root planing visit, your dentist removes plaque and tarter that forms on the roots of your teeth.
How long does it take for gums to recede after deep cleaning?
pain and sensitivity. Pain and sensitivity are the most common side effects. Risks from deep cleaning are usually minimal and only last about 5 to 7 days, though for extensive cases, this may extend to a few weeks.
How many visits to clean your mouth?
The cost of deep cleaning varies depending on the severity of gum disease or inflammation. You’ll likely have two visits, although some people might need up to four visits to completely remove tartar and plaque. During these cleanings, your mouth is considered in quadrants.
Is it good to deep clean your teeth?
The Pros and Cons of Deep Cleaning Teeth. Dental hygiene can fight bad breath and prevent gum disease. So it’s important to regularly brush and floss, and see a dentist twice a year for routine dental cleanings. Sometimes, though, a dentist will recommend deep teeth cleaning. Signs that you might need a deep cleaning include bleeding gums, ...
