Gum Disease Treatment – Wellesley, MA
Get Your Gums & Smile Back on Track
Gum disease, also known as gingivitis or periodontal disease, is an infection that occurs in the gums. Eventually, it can progress into the deep tissues and bones that support your teeth. (The word “periodontal” means “around the tooth.”) Unless the disease is treated, it can ultimately lead to tooth loss. In fact, the American Academy of Periodontology lists gum disease as the primary cause of tooth loss in adults age 35 and over. Fortunately, our team here at Wellesley Dental Group offers a range of both surgical and non-surgical treatment options for this serious oral health issue. If you’re ready to get your gums and smile back on track after suffering from gum disease, give us a call today.
Why Choose Wellesley Dental Group for Tooth Extractions?
- Family-Owned Dental Practice with 2 Generations of Experience
- Surgical & Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Every Situation
- Sedation Dentistry & Calming Practice Environment for Your Comfort
What Is Gum Disease?
Your mouth naturally produces a sticky substance called plaque. Without adequate brushing and flossing, this plaque builds up on your teeth. The bacteria in plaque produce poisons, or toxins, that irritate the gums and cause infection. As the infection increases in severity, it breaks down the bone and gum tissues that hold your teeth in place. This is called gum disease. Generally, gum disease is broken down into two primary stages: gingivitis and periodontitis.
Gingivitis
The initial stage of gum disease, known as gingivitis, is the mildest form of gum disease. During this stage, the gums become swollen, bright red, and may bleed with brushing or flossing. Gingivitis is frequently painless, or at most only slightly uncomfortable, and as a result, many people suffering from it don't seek advice or treatment. But with professional treatment and daily attention to oral hygiene, gingivitis can be reversed before it progresses into periodontitis.
Periodontitis
Untreated gingivitis may develop into periodontitis, the more extreme form of gum disease. In this stage, the infected gums begin to separate from the teeth. The newly created spaces between the gums and the teeth are called pockets. As the disease progresses, these pockets grow larger, allowing for greater damage to deep tissues as well as bone. When enough tissue and bone are affected, the teeth loosen and may fall out or need to be removed.
Symptoms of Gum Disease
Because gum disease can exist without pain or discomfort, it's important to be aware of the possible warning signs that may indicate a problem.
- Gums that appear red or swollen
- Gums that feel tender or look puffy
- Gums that bleed easily (during brushing or flossing especially)
- Gums that recede or pull away from the teeth
- Persistent bad breath
- Loose teeth
- Any change in the way teeth come together in the biting position
- Any change in the way partial dentures fit
If you suspect that you may be suffering from gingivitis or periodontitis, make an appointment with our dental office or your dentist immediately. We can diagnose the problem, determine how far the disease has progressed, and recommend appropriate treatment.
How We Treat Gum Disease
If you've been diagnosed with gum disease, there are a variety of treatment options available depending on the details of your situation and the severity of the problem. We always start with the least invasive options, which are non-surgical. However, in more serious cases, surgery may be necessary. During your appointment, we will go over all of your options in detail to help you choose the one that’s best for you.
Scaling & Root Planing
The first line of defense against gum disease is a unique type of cleaning called “scaling and root planing.” In this procedure, an ultrasonic cleaning device is used to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth where regular cleaning devices can't reach, such as under the gumline, on the tooth, and around the root. Then, the rough surface of the tooth and the root are smoothed out (planed). This provides a healthy, clean surface that makes it easier for the gum tissue to reattach to the tooth.
If you address your gum disease before it becomes severe, scaling and root planing may be the only treatment you need. However, as with any dental procedure, after-care is vital. In order to keep your teeth in good shape and resist future occurrences of gum disease, you must brush and floss daily, eat a healthy diet, avoid tobacco use, and have regular dental checkups. Even after successful scaling and root planing, if you don't attend to your teeth properly, it's quite likely that you'll develop gum disease again.
Soft Tissue Graft
A frequent symptom of gum disease is gum recession (also called gingival recession). As the gums recede, more of the roots of the teeth are revealed. This can make teeth appear longer and can also create sensitivity to hot or cold liquids or food. Additionally, it exposes the tooth to increased risk of damage from gum disease, as bacteria, plaque, and tartar attack the surface of the tooth and the root.
During a soft tissue graft, tissue from the top of your mouth or another source is sewed to the gum area, covering the roots and restoring the gum line to its original, healthy location. The new tissue covers the sensitive areas and promotes natural growth of your own gum tissue.
Jawbone Graft for Regeneration
When the jawbone and tissue supporting the teeth have been lost due to severe gum disease, we can restore these areas with a regeneration procedure. During this process, we begin by folding back the gum tissue and removing the bacteria, plaque, and tartar. Depending on your situation, we may then perform a bone graft to stimulate new bone growth, or we may apply a special kind of protein that stimulates tissue growth to repair the areas that have been destroyed by the disease.
Osseous Surgery
In a healthy mouth, the teeth are firmly surrounded by gum tissue and securely supported by the bones of the jaw. Periodontal disease damages these tissues and bones, leaving open spaces around the teeth that we call pockets. The larger these pockets are, the easier it is for bacteria to collect inside them, leading to more and more damage over time. Eventually the supportive structure degrades to the point that the tooth either falls out or needs to be removed.
During osseous surgery (also known as “pocket reduction surgery”), we fold back the gum tissue and remove the bacteria hiding underneath, as well as the hardened plaque and tartar that have collected. We may also remove any tissue that is too damaged to survive. We then sew the healthy tissue back into place. Now that the tooth and root are free of bacteria, plaque, and tartar, and the pockets have been reduced, the gums can reattach to the teeth.
How Is Osseous Surgery Performed?
During osseous surgery, your periodontist will fold back the gum tissue and remove the disease-causing bacteria before securing the tissue back into place. If the underlying bone has been damaged, the irregular surface will be smoothed out to limit areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide. This will also allow your gum tissue to reattach to healthy bone more effectively.
You may experience some swelling after the surgery, so applying an ice pack to the outside of your face over the treated area can help with any discomfort. In some cases, antibiotics are given before, during, and after the treatment in order to prevent any infections. After a week or two, you'll come back to our dental office so that your periodontist can check the surgical area and ensure your mouth is healing properly.
Gum Disease Treatment FAQs
How common is gum disease?
Gum disease is surprisingly prevalent. In fact, some estimates state that close to half of adults in the U.S. have some form of it. It tends to be even more common among older individuals and those with certain risk factors.
Given the widespread occurrence of gum disease, our Wellesley team always checks for signs of it during routine examinations, and we provide patient education to help members of our community keep their risk to a minimum.
Are there any risk factors associated with gum disease?
Yes! There are lots of factors that can increase the risk of gum disease, including:
- Advanced age
- Diabetes
- Genetics
- Tobacco use
- High stress levels
- Pregnancy
- Male gender
- The use of certain medications, including oral contraceptives and some heart medications
Since many gum disease risk factors are not modifiable, it is important to be diligent about caring for your oral health. Our team can help you identify your risk factors and take steps to protect your gums.
What is the best way to prevent gum disease?
Without a doubt, one of the best things you can do to lower your risk of gum disease is stick to a thorough oral hygiene routine. You should brush twice a day, being sure to clean the area along your gumline. You should also floss once a day. Other healthy lifestyle choices, including a nutritious diet and regular exercise, can also go a long way toward supporting both your gum health and overall wellness. If you smoke or chew tobacco, quitting can lower your risk of gum problems.
Of course, it is important to keep in mind that things like hormonal changes, genetics, and more could cause gum disease to develop even in individuals who have very good habits.
Does gum disease ever go away?
The early stage of gum disease, known as gingivitis, is reversible. It may go away with a combination of thorough at-home oral hygiene and professional monitoring.
Periodontitis, the advanced form of gum disease, causes irreversible damage to the oral tissues. However, our team may still be able to help you get rid of the active infection and lower the risk of future flare-ups. We can even perform surgical procedures to repair or replace damaged tissues to a degree.
I have heard there is a connection between gum disease and other diseases. Is that true?
Yes! Research has established a surprisingly strong connection between gum disease and a number of systemic diseases, including diabetes, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, dementia, preterm birth, and more.
The link between gum disease and poor overall health may be due in part to the fact that gum infections increase the body’s burden of inflammation. The bacteria that cause gum disease can also sneak into the blood stream and cause damage to other bodily systems.