Gums provide the foundation for the rest of your smile. As Manal Ismail, DDS, at Royal Dental Center knows, your teeth can’t function properly without healthy gums to support them. Keeping your gums free of plaque and bacteria is just as important as preventing cavities. That’s why the practice offers Airflow® guided biofilm therapy (GBT) to effectively perform teeth cleanings and periodontal treatments. To learn more about periodontics, call the practice in West Bloomfield, Michigan, or schedule an appointment online today.
Periodontics is a branch of oral health care that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease (gum disease). Periodontal disease is an infection that causes gum inflammation.
Depending on the severity of the disease, it can lead to minor redness or complete tooth loss. Early periodontal care is essential to prevent gum disease from harming your oral health.
There are two main types of gum disease that periodontics treats:
Gingivitis is a mild form of periodontal disease that primarily causes minor gum inflammation and redness. If you have gingivitis, your gums are still healthy enough to hold your teeth securely in place. Early intervention can even reverse the signs of gingivitis to restore your gum health.
Without treatment, gingivitis can lead to periodontitis — an advanced type of gum disease in which your gums are no longer strong enough to stabilize your teeth. Pockets of plaque may accumulate beneath the gumline, eating away at your tooth-supporting structures.
Not only can periodontitis affect your gum tissue, it can also lead to tooth loss.
Your dentist at Royal Dental Center can spot signs of periodontal disease at your biannual teeth cleanings and dental exams. You can also experience symptoms of gum disease, such as:
If you suspect you have gum disease, don’t wait to seek periodontal care. Your dentist at Royal Dental Center can perform a comprehensive exam to diagnose gum disease and determine its progression.
How your dentist treats periodontal disease depends on its advancement. At Royal Dental Center, your dentist may recommend Airflow guided biofilm therapy (GBT). This low-abrasive dental treatment removes biofilm — a clingy film of bacteria — from the surface of your teeth and gums.
Once your dentist gently and carefully removes the biofilm, they can effectively treat calcified deposits of plaque and bacteria.
Advanced forms of periodontal disease may require a treatment called scaling and root planing. During this procedure, your dentist detaches your gumline to clean and disinfect pockets of plaque. Then they smooth the tooth roots and reattach your gums to your teeth.
To learn more about periodontics, call Royal Dental Center or schedule an appointment online today.