Periodontist Pine Lawn, MO
Periodontist care in Pine Lawn, MO. Periodontal disease, a severe infection of the gums, usually starts as gingivitis, a milder gum disease caused by plaque accumulation. John Martin & Associates are here to assist patients dealing with various tooth and gum issues. Contact us today or call (314) 739-1222 for our Maryland Heights office or (573) 764-2425 for our Gerald office to schedule your appointment.
What Does a Pine Lawn, MO, Periodontist Do?
A periodontist is a dental expert who specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of periodontal disease. This includes services such as dental implant maintenance, soft tissue grafting, bone grafting, tissue regeneration, crown repairs, and gum grafting.
John Martin & Associates has the capabilities for:
- Periodontal Disease Treatment
- Root Canal Therapy
- Oral Cancer Screenings
- Endodontic Therapy
- Dental Bonding
- Chipped Tooth Repair
- Cosmetic Dentistry
As an all-in-one family dentist, our St. Louis-based dentists help prevent painful and even life-threatening oral diseases in Pine Lawn, MO. Contact our team today to get more information about our capabilities.
To avoid periodontitis, it's important to brush and floss regularly, avoid smoking, and visit your dentist routinely.
Additional services we provide Pine Lawn, MO, patients include:
- Dental Checkup
- Gum Disease Treatment
- Root Canal
- Teeth Implants
- Pediatric Dentist
- Cosmetic Dentistry Services
- Severe Tooth Pain
- Crowded Teeth
- All on 4 Dental Implants
- Chipped Tooth Repair
When Should You See a Periodontist?
Brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing daily, and visiting a dentist twice a year can help prevent gum disease, but some patients are more susceptible to certain 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.
Symptoms that require periodontal disease treatment in Pine Lawn include:
- 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 - under the gum line 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
In many cases, periodontal disease are preventable with biannual visits to the visit, brushing twice a day, and glossing, but if you do develop periodontitis, it's essential to remember that it's entirely treatable and can be cured with aggressive periodontal disease treatment.
Periodontal Disease Treatment in Pine Lawn
There are several stages of periodontal disease; gingivitis and slight, moderate, and advanced periodontitis. Each level of gum disease comes with different challenges and therefore, requires specific types of treatment.
If your Pine Lawn Periodontist thinks that you might have periodontitis, you might need one of the following Pine Lawn gum disease treatments:
- 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, or, the smoothing of a tooth's roots, to remove bacteria and other buildup in the area
- 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 restores soft tissue damaged by periodontal disease
- Bone grafting, which is used during advanced periodontal disease treatment, takes small samples of bone from non-infected areas to stimulate natural regrowth of bone and prevent future tooth loss
- Guided tissue regeneration is performed using a thin, but malleable, dental fabric, and placing it between the infected tooth and existing bone to limit infection and aid in regrowth of natural bone that was destroyed by periodontitis
- Tissue-stimulating proteins are carefully applied to the root of infected teeth to prevent further infection and generate natural bone and healthy tissue
After a Pine Lawn Periodontist performs in-office treatment, at-home prevention of periodontal disease typically involves brushing twice daily, flossing every morning and night or after every snack and meal, using fluoride mouth rinses to protect against infection, and a dental pick to clean deep under the gums.
Pine Lawn Periodontist
If you think that you could have periodontitis or some form of gum disease, you need to seek treatment from an experienced periodontist right away. Early detection of gingivitis can prevent severe oral health damage such as tooth loss, gum decay, and bone destruction.
Dr. John Martin and Dr. Tyler Musto have more than 35 years of dental experience. Our periodontists' goal is to improve your oral health, prevent future tooth, gum, or other oral health conditions, and make sure that you are happy with your experience every time you leave our office.
If you are looking for a Pine Lawn Periodontist, 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: