Periodontist, St. Peters, MO
When plaque and other bacteria cling to a person's teeth and harden, over time, it can spread to the gums and cause a severe gum infection known as periodontal disease.
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.
If periodontal disease goes untreated, it won't clear up on its own. Periodontitis requires aggressive treatment from a periodontitis, specially formulated dental solutions, and at-home treatment to heal properly. The best way to limit the effects of periodontal disease is seeking immediate medical attention from an experienced St. Peters Periodontist.
Martin Dental & Associates specializes in periodontal disease treatment, restoration of dental implants, and other types of surgical dentistry in St. Peters. If you are experiencing swelling, bleeding, or receding gums, you need to call (314) 739-1222 (Maryland Heights) or (573) 764-2425 (Gerald) and schedule an appointment with a periodontist today to preserve your smile.
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 can be detected during a dental examination using a dental "probe" to search for deep pockets surrounding the sides of teeth, x-rays to see if any bone loss has occurred, and discussing a patient's family oral health history. Additionally, factors such as smoking and diabetes can significantly contribute to the development of gum disease.
If you have noticed any of the following symptoms, you could have periodontitis and require immediate treatment from a St. Peters Periodontist:
- Swollen, tender, or bleeding gums - periodontal disease affects the gums and jaw bone - if your gums are bright red, sore, swollen, or painful, you could have gum disease
- 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
- Severe 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, are preventable with biannual visits to the visit, brushing twice a day, and glossing, but if you do contract periodontitis, it's essential to remember that it isn't permanent and can be healed with aggressive periodontal disease treatment.
Periodontal Disease Treatment in St. Peters
There are several stages of periodontal disease; gingivitis and slight, moderate, and advanced periodontitis. Each level of gum disease has different challenges and therefore, requires specific types of treatment.
If your St. Peters 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, or, the smoothing of a tooth's roots, to remove bacteria and other buildup in the area
- Applying topical antibiotics to the surface of the teeth, between each individual tooth, and along the gum line to eliminate existing bacteria and aid against regrowth
- Flap surgery is performed using a small dental knife to make a slight incision in the infected gum, then pulling back the flap and deep scaling/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 stimulate 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 carefully applied to the root of infected teeth to prevent further infection and generate natural bone and healthy tissue
After a St. Peters Periodontist provides in-office treatment, at-home prevention of periodontal disease typically involves brushing twice daily, flossing daily or after every snack and meal, using special mouth rinses to prevent infection, and a water pick to clean gums.
St. Peters 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. 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 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 make sure that you are happy with our St. Peters dental services every time you visit our office.
If you are looking for a St. Peters 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: