Periodontics Specialist

What is periodontics?

Periodontics is a dental specialty that focuses on preventing, diagnosing, and treating gum disease – also known as periodontal disease. Your personalized gum disease treatment depends on the severity of your condition. Ace Dental Specialties offers deep cleaning, gum grafts, regenerative procedures, and dental implants when necessary.

What are the symptoms of gum disease?

Common signs and symptoms you might notice with periodontal disease include:

• Puffy, swollen gums
• Tender gums
• Bright red gums
• Bleeding gums
• Bad breath
• Pain with chewing
• Loose teeth
• Tooth loss
• Pus between gums and teeth
• Teeth shifting
• A receding gum line

Seeking periodontics treatment at the first sign of gum disease gives you the best chance of tooth and gum restoration while avoiding costly dental treatments.

What are the risk factors for gum disease?

Gum disease is common and can happen to anybody, but certain factors boost your risk of developing it. Examples include poor oral hygiene, smoking, chewing tobacco, hormone changes, and obesity. Other risk factors are inadequate nutrition, vitamin C deficiency, genetics, taking certain medications, and having diabetes or another chronic condition.

How does my provider diagnose gum disease?

To diagnose gum disease and determine its severity, your Ace Dental Specialities provider reviews your symptoms and oral health history. They examine your teeth and gums, and measure the pocket depth between the teeth and gums. Your periodontics specialist also takes dental X-rays to look for possible bone loss.

What are my periodontics treatment options?

Periodontics treatment options available at Ace Dental Specialties include:

Scaling and root planing

Scaling and root planing are types of deep dental cleanings. They remove tartar and bacteria from teeth and beneath your gums while smoothing tooth root surfaces to reduce the risk of future tartar buildup.

Antibiotics

Oral or topical antibiotics help better control bacterial infections associated with gum disease. Your dentist might recommend using antibiotic mouth rinses or gels.

Surgical periodontics treatment

If gum disease is severe, your periodontics specialist might recommend a minor surgical procedure. Examples include pocket reduction surgery, soft tissue grafts, bone grafting, guided tissue regeneration, or tissue-stimulating proteins to restore bone or soft tissue.

Don’t let the early stages of periodontal disease progress to advanced forms of the disease, receding gums, and bone or tooth loss. Schedule an appointment with the periodontics team at Ace Dental Specialties by phone or online at the first sign of gum disease.