Achieve Healthy, Beautiful-looking Gums with Periodontal Disease Treatments
While many people always focus on teeth, your gums are the foundation of your smile. Healthy gums hold your teeth in place and create a tight seal around your teeth and surrounding bone, shielding them from infections. Any solid smile is founded on healthy gums, yet many people don’t pay much attention to gum health!
Are you experiencing gum tenderness, redness, or bleeding? These are tell-tale symptoms of gum disease, a common progressive oral condition that can destroy your teeth and gums. Strongsville Smile Keepers understands the dangers of gum or periodontal disease on your oral and overall health. Dr. Matt Gaebelein and the team offer a wide range of periodontics services to prevent, diagnose, and treat gum disease. We aim to keep your gums healthy for life.
How is gum disease treated?
We diagnose gum treatment with a periodontal probe that measures the depth between your teeth and gums (sulcus). A sulcus with a depth below 3mm is considered healthy. However, if the depth is higher than 3mm, it is a sign of gum disease—and the higher the readings, the more severe the disease is.
Treating gum disease depends on the severity of your infection. The following are our gum disease treatment options.
- Deep teeth cleaning: This non-surgical, two-barreled treatment involves scaling and root planing (SRP) to eliminate gum disease. Scaling removes plaque and tartar from the teeth’s surface and deep into the gum line (periodontal pockets). After root debridement, the dentist smooths out the root surfaces to remove rough spots that create perfect hiding spots for unwanted bacteria. Root planing also encourages the reattachment of gum tissues to your teeth. Periodontal cleaning is more thorough than scale and polish and requires anesthesia for optimal comfort. It also needs more than one dental visit, with the dentist treating each half of the quadrant per visit.
- Antibiotic therapy: We use oral and topical antibiotics to stop the progression of bacteria colonies and prevent reinfections.
- Gingival reshaping: Non-surgical gum treatments may lead to uneven healing, causing your gum line to appear asymmetrical when smiling. Gum contouring removes or reshapes your gum tissues to create an evenly balanced smile. Gingival reshaping also makes brushing and flossing your teeth easier.
Advanced gum disease (periodontitis) requires advanced treatments like gum flap surgery and grafting techniques to replenish lost tissues. Our dentist will determine the best treatment for you after a careful evaluation. Where advanced treatments are needed, we’ll refer you to a trusted periodontist to ensure you achieve optimal gum health.
Is gum disease preventable?
The best way to keep your gums healthy is through optimal preventive dental care. It prevents unnecessary discomfort and time-consuming treatments. Observe the following tips to prevent gum disease:
- Brush and floss twice a day
- See a dentist every six months for routine exams and cleanings
- Eat a dental-friendly diet
- Avoid smoking and vaping
- Keep your mouth hydrated
- Manage immune-suppressing diseases like diabetes
Do you need periodontal therapy?
Healthy gums are pinkish, firmly tucked in place, don’t bleed, and aren’t tender to touch. Our team can help you achieve healthy gums. To get started, call (440) 508-4080 to schedule an appointment today. Our office is in Strongsville, Ohio, and also serves the nearby locations of Brecksville, Parma Heights, Middleburg Heights, Valley City, Brook Park, North Royalton, Brunswick, and the greater northern Ohio area.
