Periodontics: Gum Health
Protecting the Foundation of Your Smile
Periodontics is the area of dentistry that focuses on your gums and other structures that support the teeth. A major emphasis of periodontics is identifying, treating, and preventing periodontal disease.
At Designer Smiles of Colorado, Dr. Maggie Aleksanyan has effective treatments for all types of periodontal disease, from gingivitis, its earliest stage, to advanced periodontitis. Depending on your particular situation, she might use a combination of surgical and non-surgical treatments to rid your smile of infection and restore your oral health.
Periodontal Disease
Some of our patients experience sore gums and bleeding when brushing and flossing. If this is something you’ve noticed, you probably have periodontal disease. It’s essential to see Dr. Maggie as soon as possible so she can prevent further damage from occurring.
Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is an infection that afflicts the supporting structures of your teeth, including the gums, ligaments, and bone. If you’re suffering from gingivitis, then it’s just beginning to damage your gums. Without proper treatment, gingivitis can develop into periodontitis, which will attack the soft and hard tissues that hold your teeth in place.
Signs and Stages of Gum Disease
Depending on your symptoms, Dr. Maggie will identify which stage of gum disease you have. For example, patients with moderate to severe gingivitis will commonly notice these signs:
- Red or purple gums
- Halitosis (Bad breath)
- Squishy gums
- Receding gum
- Swollen and tender gums
- Gums bleed when you’re brushing or flossing
Advanced Periodontitis
If left untreated, your gingivitis can progress until you’re suffering from advanced periodontitis, which can really devastate your smile. Symptoms include:
- Loose teeth
- Gums pull away from teeth, making teeth appear larger
- Pockets of infection form around the base of teeth
- Teeth no longer fit together when you bite down
- Teeth begin to fall out
Dr. Maggie Treats All Stages of Gum Disease
At Designer Smiles of Colorado, we have a number of effective treatments for gum disease, including deep cleaning, antibiotics, and root planing and scaling.
In cases of advanced periodontitis, Dr. Maggie may elect to use pocket reduction surgery to remove infected old gum tissue and allow healthy new tissue to grow in its place.
Dr. Maggie also features diode laser therapy to disinfect the pockets between the gums and teeth. Laser dentistry is less painful, produces less bleeding, and allows the area to heal faster than other forms of gum therapy.