Periodontics ~ Gum Disease Treatment

Periodontics ~ Gum Disease Treatment

Gum Disease Treatment

Periodontal or gum disease is a gradual infection of the gums that starts as plaque, an opaque film on the teeth that hardens and forms tartar. As tartar accumulates, it possesses bacteria that attack the soft tissue around the gums. This tartar accumulation is the early stage of gum disease known as gingivitis. When left untreated, gingivitis becomes periodontitis, ultimately destroying the soft tissue surrounding your teeth and the bone that holds your teeth in place. There are few early warning signals except for bad breath and gums that bleed. The disease advances silently, often without pain. Before you know it, you are losing teeth and don’t understand why.

Tooth loss is the most obvious indicator of gum disease. Scientific research has discovered a linkage between gum disease and stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and even an increased risk for pregnant women. When your gums become diseased, it weakens your entire immune system. With advancements in dental technology and laser dentistry, patients with dental anxiety in Kenosha can get gum disease treatment that using the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique. Call (262) 652-9083 to schedule a gum disease treatment in Kenosha at our office, Denthetics, LLC.

Scaling & Root Planing

Gingivitis is a generative disease that, when left untreated, will cause significant gum and tooth deterioration. The word “gingivitis” can strike panic and anxiety in a patient’s mind. However, the reality is that the treatment is simple and performed right in Dr. Mata-Stein’s dental office, Denthetics, LLC in Kenosha.

Plaque and tartar accumulating on the teeth provide an environment that allows bacteria to multiply and thrive. These bacteria cause the gums to become inflamed and bleed. The dental condition is very noticeable when you brush your teeth or eat harder foods. These are common signs of the early stage of gingivitis. Gingivitis is easily treated by having a dental hygienist scale and polish the teeth. However, if gingivitis is left untreated, the issue will progress, and the roots will require planing. The difference between tooth scaling and root planing is simple. Scaling is the removal of the tartar from the tooth surface. Root planing is smoothing the root surfaces and removing the infected tooth structure.

As a non-surgical procedure, Dr. Mata-Stein performs scaling and planing without anesthesia. While the treatment is typically painless, it may be necessary to numb the area for complete comfort in the advanced stages of gingivitis. Deep scaling and root planing generally are broken down into one section of the patient’s mouth per office visit. One section per appointment allows for adequate healing time and reduces the time for each visit.

Soft Tissue Graft

Our restorative dentist, Dr. Mata-Stein uses a soft tissue graft when a significant amount of gum recession exists in a particular area. Slight gum recession can typically be fixed with a few changes to your daily oral hygiene routine to take better care of your gums and teeth. When the gums recede further, it exposes you to a greater risk of infection and bacterial penetration. In addition, you will usually be more sensitive to hot and cold foods and drinks when you have receding gums. If your gums recede enough to expose your root, you may have more severe problems. The root is softer than the tooth’s enamel, making it highly vulnerable to bacteria and plaque.

Dr. Mata-Stein can perform a soft tissue graft to restore gum level and functionality. A soft tissue graft in Kenosha is performed by either removing tissue from the roof of the patient’s mouth or repositioning healthy gum tissue from an adjacent tooth. This treatment is very predictable and has a high success rate. However, this dental procedure should be performed before more serious issues develop, and periodontal or gum disease surgery is necessary.

Arestin

Arestin: Fighting infection where it starts

You have probably heard about gum disease, also known as “periodontitis” or “periodontal disease.” But do you know the difference between periodontal disease and other issues that can affect your mouth, like gingivitis?

Do you know why it’s so important to treat periodontal disease and why brushing and flossing alone won’t do the trick alone?

More importantly, did you know that periodontal disease is America’s #1 cause of tooth loss among adults? In addition, recent data suggest a possible correlation between periodontal disease and other serious health issues, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and preterm low birth-weight babies.

Fight infection right where it starts

ARESTIN® Microspheres, 1 mg, is an effective antibiotic treatment that comes in a powder. This antibiotic powder is placed inside infected periodontal pockets after our restorative dentist, Dr. Mata-Stein finishes the scaling and root planing (SRP) procedure.

Biopsy

Throughout the medical field, a biopsy simply removes a tissue sample to test and determine if it is diseased. For example, in dentistry, teeth and gums are typically sent for biopsy. The role of a biopsy in dentistry is to diagnose oral cancer. In these instances, our dentist, Dr. Mata-Stein may use a brush biopsy to identify oral lesions that warrant further medical attention.

If you notice any unexplained lesions in your mouth, they need to be examined by our Kenosha dentist, Dr. Felicia S. Mata-Stein. The lesions may or may not be cancerous but need further medical attention.

Canine Exposure

Canine exposure is a procedure to expose impacted teeth. An impacted tooth has not erupted in the mouth but becomes stuck in the surrounding bone or tissue. Any tooth may become impacted, but wisdom and canine teeth are the most likely candidates. This is because canine teeth are vital for function. Your mouth will also appear aesthetically odd without the canines. The procedure is quite simple. It involves Dr. Mata-Stein cutting a small hole in the gum, allowing the tooth to erupt. Then, the dentist uses a dental brace to guide the tooth to its correct position.

Impacted teeth are sometimes apparent to the naked eye. Still, in some instances, an –x-ray is necessary to identify the extent of the impaction. For example, there is often an impacted canine where a baby tooth remains in the mouth. Likewise, a loose tooth is a sign that an impacted tooth may be present.

Crown Lengthening

It is no secret that dentists like Dr. Felicia Mata-Stein are committed to saving teeth. Our commitment is why we fill a cavity instead of pulling the tooth.

Cavities can decay a tooth to the point where restoration is virtually impossible without crown lengthening. Crown lengthening is a routine surgical procedure that remodels the contour of the gum line. The treatment does not lengthen the crown but lowers the gum line. Therefore, crown lengthening is the only option for insufficient tooth structure to affix a crown. For example, sometimes, a tooth has been broken below the gum line. In this instance, crown lengthening successfully exposes more of the tooth, so Dr. Mata-Stein has something to work with when affixing a dental crown.

Frenectomy

A frenulum is a piece of soft tissue that prevents an organ from moving. For example, a frenulum connects your upper lip to the gums, while another attaches the lower lip to the gums. A too-short or thick frenulum will cause problems with speech patterns and tooth misalignment. In infants, a shortened frenulum beneath the tongue can inhibit breastfeeding. Corrective action is necessary to resolve the issue when the frenulum disrupts movement, development, or growth.

A frenectomy is a minor surgical procedure performed in Dr. Mata-Stein’s dental office, Denthetics, LLC. It can be achieved with either a scalpel or laser and typically takes less than 15 minutes. Using a laser causes minimal bleeding and does not require stitches. A laser also reduces postoperative pain and discomfort and causes a shorter recovery time. Infants and young children are put under general anesthesia for this dental procedure, and adults have the operation performed using local anesthesia. If your child needs a frenectomy, do not worry. The treatment is very successful and causes minimal discomfort.

Gum Grafting

Gingivitis and, in its advanced state, periodontitis, have a profound effect on the gums. As gingivitis progresses, more bacteria and plaque build-up, causing the gums to stretch. The result is large pockets that will remain on your gum line even once they are cleaned out. These pockets cause your gums to recede, which is aesthetically not pleasing to the eye. In addition, when your gums recede, an abnormal amount of your tooth’s structure is exposed.

Gum grafting is a corrective procedure that restores the gum to its natural, healthy state. The receded gums are grafted using soft gum tissue from the roof of the mouth. The goal of the graft is to cover exposed tooth and root surfaces with grafted-on oral tissue. This grafting encourages new tissue growth, enabling the gums to return to their original position around the teeth. The gum disease treatment is routine and entails a minimal amount of discomfort and downtime.

Occlusal Adjustment

Have you woken up in the morning with a sore jaw? When you bite down, do you feel like your jaw is lopsided? If yes, then you may need an occlusal adjustment.

For those who do now know, an occlusal adjustment corrects the alignment of the bite resulting from loose, shifting, missing, or crowded teeth. The result is an evenly distributed bite that eliminates uneven pressure on one side of the mouth. Once your bite is adjusted, your teeth will meet adequately. In addition, occlusal adjustment causes minimal pain and discomfort. The adjustment is made using a dental drill with a fine filing stone. In addition to the actual occlusal adjustment, removal mouthpieces are used to protect the tooth’s surface and relax the muscles in the jaw once the adjustment is finished.

Who is an excellent candidate for an occlusal adjustment? Patients with loose or shifting teeth will many times not meet adequately. Patients, who grind or clench their teeth, will have an irregular bite and pressure distribution in the mouth, which Dr. Mata-Stein can correct through an occlusal adjustment. Sometimes tooth sensitivity can be corrected through an occlusal adjustment as the treatment reduces pressure on the sensitive tooth.

New technology allows Kenosha dentists to identify the areas which need adjustments accurately. The dentist utilizes a computer scan of the mouth, which records hundreds of bite registrations per minute, and notes even the slightest irregularity. That data allows the dentist to make only necessary adjustments, ensuring a well-aligned bite and minimal tooth wear.

Periodontal Splinting

Loose teeth are uncomfortable, especially when eating food or chewing gum. The awful feeling of your tooth pulling away from your gum is enough to send chills down your spine. It seems like forever, waiting for your tooth to become loose enough so Dr. Mata-Stein can extract it or strong enough to be a problem no longer.

Your teeth can become loose because of lost gum tissue, orthodontic treatment, injury, or pressure caused by tooth misalignment. A new technique called periodontal splinting connects weak teeth, turning them into a single unit that is more stable and stronger than a single tooth. The procedure is commonly performed on the front teeth. The treatment is as simple as using composite material to connect or splint the loose teeth to the adjoining stable teeth. Tooth splinting is a standard procedure that has gained popularity due to its effectiveness. Life is too short to live with loose teeth.

Osseous Grafting

Osseous surgery is a procedure that reshapes the bone which holds your teeth in place. Osseous surgery commonly treats periodontitis. Patients with periodontitis experience defects in the bone around their teeth. The osseous surgery removes those defects. Before the surgery, the patient undergoes a periodontal treatment that consists of scaling and root planing. First, Dr. Mata-Stein will administer a local anesthetic to minimize the pain. Once she cleans the roots, Dr. Mata-Stein uses a drill and sharp dental tool to reshape the bone surrounding the teeth. Depending on the extent of the defects, she will remove the deformed bone and shape the rest. Dr. Mata-Stein uses bone grafting material where the defects are too significant to be treated with only reshaping. Once the bones are back to their original state, the gums are stitched back into place. Osseous grafting is a routine procedure with a high success rate.

Osseous Surgery

Sometimes the effects of periodontal or gum disease create permanent changes in the tooth and gum structure that will cause issues in the future. For example, enlarged gum pockets between the tooth and the gum line are common after having advanced gum disease. Sometimes these gaps are cosmetic in nature and affect the appearance of the gums. More commonly, the gaps put the teeth at future risk for tooth and gum disease, as they are just one more place where plaque and bacteria can collect. Pocket reduction surgery is designed to thwart the aftereffects of periodontal disease and restore your mouth to a healthy state.

Gum disease treatment aims to gain access to the tooth root and clean the damaged areas. Once our restorative dentist, Dr. Mata-Stein can see the damage, she can treat it. Removing the plaque and decayed gum tissue leaves a pocket between the tooth and the gum. Sometimes the gum returns to its original position, but still, the pocket is present. The pocket requires frequent cleaning as the patient cannot get to the pockets with regular brushing and flossing. Once the swelling from the periodontal treatment has subsided, the dentist may need to suture the gum to where the bone has resorbed. Again, the goal is to create a space large enough to reach through daily oral hygiene but small enough not to be a breeding ground for plaque and bacteria.

Cosmetic Periodontal Gum Disease Surgery

Your smile is usually the first thing someone notices about your appearance, and people tend to form their initial impressions based on the appearance of your smile. In the past, you had to live with your smile unless you made good money or were born with flawless teeth. Today, a wide range of cosmetic procedures are available to the average individual at a cost they can afford.

Cosmetic gum disease surgery sculpts your gum line, so it is even and proportionate to the amount of exposed tooth to gum. This cosmetic procedure removes the excess gum and exposes more of the tooth’s crown. Suppose your gums have receded, and your teeth appear elongated. In that case, soft tissue grafts can extend your gum line to create an aesthetic balance. The grafts also reduce the gum pockets prone to future periodontal disease.

Schedule A Gum Disease Treatment At Denthetics, LLC

Call (262) 652-9083 to schedule a personalized gum disease treatment consultation at our Kenosha dental office. We treat patients from Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie, Somers, Sturtevant, and many surrounding areas. Dr. Mata also treats gum disease and crown lengthening patients at her 2nd dental practice location in Loop, Chicago.