Gum disease is an inflammation of your gum line. If it is left untreated it can affect the bone that supports your teeth. Symptoms of gum disease can include swollen, tender, or bleeding gums. Additional indicators of gum disease can be receding gums or persistent bad breath.
When your body senses threats like infections, lacerations, or foreign bacteria, it rushes to try to protect the area being threatened. The inflammatory response in healthy individuals kills off bacteria and helps to speed healing. Unfortunately, when it comes to infections in your mouth, your body reacts differently and can actually damage your gums. When your body detects plaque, tartar and bacteria in your mouth, instead of actively attacking the bacteria, your gum tissue will try to protect itself by backing away.
If the early stages of gum disease are left untreated, gums will recede away from the teeth, which can trigger a variety of other dental and oral health problems. Gum disease is correlated with serious systemic health problems like diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
However, Dr. McQueen offers treatments that can help preserve your smile and quality of life.
Scaling and Root Planing (Deep Cleaning)
If you visit McQueen Dental every six months for your routine dental cleaning, you know it involves scaling your teeth and gum line to remove plaque and tartar, and polishing to remove stains and smooth the tooth's surface. However, if you have symptoms of gum disease, you might need a different type of cleaning called scaling and root planing.
Scaling and root planing is a deep dental cleaning procedure Dr. McQueen performs to treat patients with current or developing gum disease. Not all patients need this level of cleaning, but it is a key part of treatment for patients who are concerned with gingivitis.
Root Surface Debridement
Root Surface Debridement (RSD) is a procedure used to clean the root surface of the tooth. Over time, calcified deposits in your gum pockets can make the surface of your tooth rough and difficult to keep clean. Dr. McQueen uses RSD to remove these deposits and slow the progression of gum disease.
Gum Disease Treatment
Gum disease increases your risk of systemic health problems, making it more difficult for your immune system to do its job. Ask Dr. McQueen how he can use non-surgical periodontal therapy to treat your gum disease.
Effectively treating your gum disease doesn't just keep your smile healthy, it can help reduce your risk of heart disease, pneumonia, premature labor, and more.
Gingivitis is often painless at first, making it difficult to diagnose without regular dental checkups. Inflammation of your gums can be a serious condition, which is why it’s vital to get regular dental exams from McQueen Dental.
If you have been diagnosed with or are concerned you might have gingivitis, Dr. McQueen offers a range of treatments to reverse or stop gum disease’s progression. If you are in the early stages of gingivitis, most treatment options are non-surgical.
Dental Crown Lengthening
Some patients require dental crown lengthening in preparation for the final crown restoration of a tooth. If necessary, Dr. McQueen will perform a crown lengthening procedure to extend the size or height of a portion of your tooth to better stabilize your dental crown.
If periodontal disease has damaged your mouth, your jaw bone may be too weak to support the dental implant you need to restore your natural smile.
In cases like this, Dr. McQueen will often recommend natural bone regeneration (also known as bone grafting) to promote healthy bone growth and strengthen your jaw bone. Over time your jaw bone can regain enough bone mass to support a dental implant.
Have Questions About Your Gum Disease Treatment Options?
The symptoms of gum disease are painful and need to be treated immediately to preserve the health of your entire mouth.
Many patients have a fear of visiting the dentist, which is why we offer safe, effective laughing gas at our Fayetteville, AR dental office.