Periodontist University City, MO
Periodontist care in University City, 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 University City, MO, Periodontist Do?
A periodontist is a specialist in the field of dental care, focusing on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of periodontal disease. They handle procedures like dental implant maintenance, soft tissue and bone grafting, tissue regeneration, crown repair, and gum grafting.
John Martin & Associates provides:
- 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 periodontists help prevent painful and even life-threatening oral diseases in University City, MO. Get in touch with us now if you want to see a periodontist.
Regular brushing, flossing, abstaining from smoking, and routine dental visits are key to preventing periodontitis.
Additional services we provide University City, MO, patients include:
- 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
- Best Dentist Near Me
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 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 University City 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, 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's entirely treatable and can be cured with aggressive periodontal disease treatment.
Periodontal Disease Treatment in University City
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 specialized treatment.
If your University City Periodontist thinks that you might have periodontitis, 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 the surface of the teeth, between each individual tooth, and along the gum line to eliminate existing bacteria and aid against regrowth
- 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 stimulate natural regrowth of bone and prevent future bone damage
- 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 University City Periodontist performs in-office treatment, at-home prevention of periodontal disease typically involves brushing twice a day, flossing daily or after every snack and meal, using special mouth rinses to prevent infection, and a water pick to clean along the gum line.
University City 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 more than 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 satisfied with your experience every time you leave our office.
If you are looking for a University City 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: