Q What happens at your first visit with a periodontist?
A At your first visit, your periodontist will review your medical history and dental history, as well as any medications or drug allergies. Your periodontist will examine your gums and their attachment to each tooth by using small measuring instruments to check the space between the teeth and gums, paying attention to any sites that bleed. He or she will also look for any recession of gum tissue and check if any teeth are loose. Radiographs (x-rays) will be taken, to see if there is any bone missing from around the teeth. Your periodontist will discuss the findings with you and then make treatment recommendations.
Q Am I a candidate for dental implants?
A The ideal candidate for dental implants is in good general health and has healthy gum tissues with adequate bone in their jaws to support the implant. If insufficient support is not present, soft and/or hard tissue grafting may be needed. Dental implants are one of the options to replace missing teeth. Your dentist and periodontist can work with you to establish if you are a candidate for dental implants and help you decide what your best option to replace missing teeth is.
Q I have gum recession around a tooth. Can anything be done to fix this problem?
A There are various causes of loss of gum tissue resulting in root exposure. The most common causes are aggressive tooth brushing or gum disease. The first step in treatment of recession is to correct the cause. For patients who have healthy gums and normal support for their teeth, it may be possible to cover exposed root surfaces with gum grafts. For individuals with a history of gum disease, root coverage will be less predictable. Gum grafting involves the use of either your own tissue from another spot in your mouth or the use of commercially available tissue materials. For these procedures, the gum graft is stitched in place at the site of recession. With current techniques, post treatment discomfort is usually minimal, and the healed tissues usually provide a good match with the adjacent tissues.
Q show a lot of gums when I smile. What can I do about this?
A There are several potential causes for excess gum tissue or “gummy smile.” This situation can be caused by certain medications, genetics, tooth wear, the position of the teeth in the jaw, or the growth pattern of the jaw bones. The situation can be worsened by poor oral hygiene. It is important that your periodontist determine the cause to select the proper treatment, which may include removing small areas of excess gum tissue and reshaping of the smile line. Because the results are immediately visible, patients are often surprised at how much their smile has improved.
Q Is there a relationship between tobacco use and periodontal disease?
A Yes, smokers are more likely to get periodontal diseases and suffer from the more severe forms. Healing following the various forms of periodontal therapy may take more time. Tobacco use is associated with a number of detrimental effects to the mouth and the body as a whole. There can be a decrease in a patient’s immune response (their ability to fight off infections), constrictions of blood vessels in the gum tissue around the teeth, an increased risk of certain types of mouth cancers and bad breath. On average smokers are four times as likely to exhibit signs of periodontal disease as were those persons who had never smoked. The good news is that research suggests that those persons who quit can reverse many of the adverse risks caused by the use of tobacco products.
Q What are the warning signs of Periodontal Disease?
A There are various causes of loss of gum tissue resulting in root exposure. The most common causes are aggressive tooth brushing or gum disease. The first step in treatment of recession is to correct the cause. For patients who have healthy gums and normal support for their teeth, it may be possible to cover exposed root surfaces with gum grafts. For individuals with a history of gum disease, root coverage will be less predictable. Gum grafting involves the use of either your own tissue from another spot in your mouth or the use of commercially available tissue materials. For these procedures, the gum graft is stitched in place at the site of recession. With current techniques, post treatment discomfort is usually minimal, and the healed tissues usually provide a good match with the adjacent tissues.