Gum Disease Treatments - Florence & Louisville, KY
Don’t Let Gum Disease Damage Your Smile
Schedule NowGum Disease Treatment is Essential to Your Health
Gum disease is sometimes called a “silent disease,” because mild symptoms go unnoticed. And while it’s largely preventable, it impacts nearly 50% of people aged 30 and up, and more than 70% of people 65 and older. Also known as periodontal disease or periodontitis, gum disease is caused by plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that continually forms on your teeth. Early-stage gum disease called gingivitis is characterized by red, bleeding and swollen gums, but it’s reversible with proper treatment. Professional gum disease treatment in Florence and Louisville, KY can stop periodontal disease in its tracks. But if plaque is allowed to accumulate unchecked, it hardens and turns into tartar, causing worsening gum inflammation and formation of periodontal pockets. Advanced periodontitis can lead to loss of periodontal attachment, which supports bone and teeth. In advanced stages, gum disease is associated with serious systemic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes complications.
Gum Disease Warning Signs
- Persistent bad breath or a bad taste
- Red, swollen or tender gums
- Other pain in your mouth
- Bleeding while brushing and flossing
- Loose or separating teeth
- Pus between your gums and teeth
- Gums receding or pulling away from your teeth
- A change in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
Targeted Treatment for Gum Disease
Daily flossing and twice-daily brushing with a toothpaste that fights bacteria, coupled with professional dental exams and cleanings twice a year, can often keep gum disease at bay. If you do require gum disease treatment, you can entrust the Embrace Dental Care team with your smile. We offer gum disease treatment in Louisville, KY and Florence, KY that is clinically proven to reverse inflammation and prevent more serious consequences. We also offer sedation options that alleviate dental anxiety and discomfort, so there’s no need to fear gum surgery.
We never follow a one-size-fits-all approach, because reversing gum disease requires customized treatment that addresses a patient’s symptoms and stage of gum disease. Dr. Rinto Adeniran will assess your current oral health by examining your gums for any signs of inflammation, then measure existing periodontal pockets to see if they exceed three millimeters. He’ll ask about your medical history to identify conditions or risk factors (e.g., smoking or diabetes) that may contribute to gum disease. With personalized gum disease treatment in Florence, KY and Louisville, KY, coupled with regular maintenance and good oral health habits, gum disease doesn’t have to wreak havoc on your smile ever again!
Key Gum Disease Treatments
Scaling and Root Planing
When plaque and tartar extend below the gum line, scaling and root planing is the first treatment we recommend to halt gum disease. First, we numb your gums with a local anesthetic to ensure you don’t feel any pain, then we scrape away all of the plaque and tartar. Although this procedure is similar to a regular cleaning, this is a deeper cleaning that goes below the gum line. Next, we smooth your tooth roots to enhance the ability of gums to fit snugly around your teeth. During the last step, we flush your teeth and gums with an antimicrobial medication to help eliminate as much bacteria as possible.
Periodontal Maintenance
Research has shown that harmful, disease-causing bacteria recolonize underneath gums as early as one to two months after a deep cleaning. Therefore, after you’ve undergone scaling and root planing or gum surgery, regular periodontal maintenance visits are often required to maintain your gum health and prevent gum disease recurrence. During periodontal maintenance visits scheduled about once every three months, we perform all the same steps as in scaling and root planing.
Osseous Surgery
During osseous surgery, you’ll receive a local anesthetic and your choice of sedation. Once your gums are numb, we make an incision at your gum line, then fold back the gums to clean out bacteria beneath them. If we detect damaged or irregularly shaped bone, we smooth these areas to make them less prone to trapping bacteria. If any bone is significantly damaged, we place a bone graft in the area. Once the area has been thoroughly cleaned, we suture gums back and apply a dental dressing to manage any bleeding.
Gingivectomy
As with osseous surgery, we numb your gums with a local anesthetic and offer sedation options to ensure your comfort during this procedure. A gingivectomy involves removing the diseased portion of gum tissue, then reshaping and reattaching healthy tissue with sutures to eliminate pockets. The area is cleaned with special rinses, then a surgical dressing is placed in and around the teeth and gums. This procedure is sometimes done to lengthen the height or width of a tooth to enable placing a restoration.
Save your smile with timely gum disease treatment!
Give your gums the TLC they need by scheduling a consultation.