Periodontist, Jennings, MO
Periodontal disease, which is a severe gum infection, begins as gingivitis, which is a moderate form of gum disease caused by plaque and other buildups.
Periodontal disease (Periodontitis) is a severe oral health condition, that, if untreated, can damage a patient's jaw bone, form deep pockets in a person's gums, cause chronic gum pain, and in its advanced stages, lead to the erosion of enamel and tooth loss.
While periodontitis can take weeks to heal and require surgery, specialty oral hygiene products, and other treatment, it isn't a permanent condition. At the first sign of periodontal disease, it's essential to schedule an examination with a Jennings Periodontist and get treatment.
Martin Dental & Associates specializes in periodontal disease treatment, restoration of dental implants, and other types of surgical dentistry in Jennings. If you have swollen gums, bleeding when you floss, or have noticed spacing in your teeth, you need to call (314) 739-1222 (Maryland Heights) or (573) 764-2425 (Gerald) and schedule an appointment with a periodontist right away to protect your oral health.
When Should You See a Periodontist?
Gum disease is preventable with daily brushing, flossing, and bi-annual dental cleanings. But, even with regular oral health maintenance, some patients are more genetically predisposed to gingivitis, periodontitis, and other oral health conditions.
Periodontal disease is typically detected during standard dentist appointments. During a dental examination, your dentist will use a "probe," which is a tiny ruler, to measure the depth of your teeth's pockets, search for bone loss or damage, and look for other signs of gum disease, oral cancer, and other conditions.
If you have noticed any of the following symptoms, you could have periodontitis and require immediate treatment from a Jennings Periodontist:
- Swollen, tender, or bright red gums - when periodontal bacteria develops, it can lead to extreme gum sensitivity, bleeding gums, and spacing between teeth
- Abnormal spaces between teeth - plaque, tartar, and other buildup can cause a person's gums to recede, tooth loss, and, over time, erode the jaw bone
- Chronic tooth pain - gum inflammation can cause deep pockets surrounding the teeth, that fill with pus, and when food, air, or water touches it, can lead to extreme sensitivity and pain, and make it challenging to eat, drink, or talk
Oral bacterial infections, such as perodontitis, can be prevented with regular visits to the dentist office, specialty dental products, and brushing/flossing at home between dental appointments. But, if you do contract periodontitis, it's important to keep in mind that it isn't permanent and can be healed with aggressive periodontal disease treatment.
Periodontal Disease Treatment in Jennings
There are four stages of periodontal disease; gingivitis and slight, moderate, and advanced periodontitis. Each stage of periodontitis has different challenges and therefore, requires specific types of treatment.
If your Jennings Periodontist detects gingivitis or another form of gum disease during your visit, you could require one or more of the following types of periodontal disease treatment:
- Scaling, or, tartar and buildup removal, which is performed using a dental scaler to scratch buildup from the surface of each individual tooth and between the gums
- Root planing, commonly known as "deep cleaning," is perfomed using a dental scaler to smooth down the roots of teeth to prevent infection. Root planing also helps teeth that might have loosened reattach to gums
- Applying topical antibiotics to remove harmful bacteria from between a patient's teeth, inside deep pockets, and under the gum line
- Flap surgery involves making a small incision in the gum, lifting it back, and performing deep scaling and root planing
- Soft tissue grafting repairs soft tissue damage caused by periodontitis using small pieces of healthy tissue from other parts of the mouth
- Bone grafting, which is used during advanced periodontal disease treatment, takes small samples of bone from non-infected areas to help aid natural regrowth of bone and prevent future bone damage
- Guided tissue regeneration, which involves placing a fabric between existing bone and tooth to prevent deeper infection and allows bone to grow back over time
- Tissue-stimulating proteins are a special gel that is applied to a diseased tooth root to prevent deeper infection and stimulate natural growth of bone and tissue
After a Jennings Periodontist provides in-office treatment, at-home prevention of periodontal disease typically involves brushing twice a day, flossing every morning and night or after every snack and meal, using special mouth rinses to protect against infection, and a dental pick to clean along the gum line.
Jennings Periodontist
If you think that you could have periodontitis or some form of gum disease, you need to get help from an experienced periodontist immediately. The sooner that gum disease and periodontal disease are detected, the lower chance there is for severe, irreversible damage such as tooth loss, gum decay, and bone destruction.
Dr. John Martin and Dr. Tyler Musto have a combined total of over 35 years of experienced in the St. Louis dental industry. Our goal at Martin Dental & Associates is to improve your oral health, prevent future tooth, gum, or other oral health conditions, and ensure that you are satisfied with your experience every time you leave our office.
If you are looking for a periodontist in Jennings, call (314) 739-1222 (Maryland Heights), (573) 764-2425 (Gerald), or contact Martin Dental & Associates today to schedule an appointment.
Martin Dental & Associates serves residents in the following cities in the Greater St. Louis Area: