High-Quality Periodontics in Granite Bay, CA

Periodontal disease is the official name for gum disease. It is most commonly the result of poor oral hygiene. A lack of regular brushing, flossing, and rinsing allows plaque, and eventually tartar, to build up around the gums. Over time, this irritates the gums until they become infected by bacteria. If left untreated, the diseased gums will eventually allow the teeth in the infected area to become loose. Gum disease is linked to most tooth loss.

HOW CAN I PREVENT PERIODONTAL DISEASE?

Even though gum disease is quite common, it is, fortunately, fairly easily prevented. The number one fighter of gum disease is good oral hygiene. A patient who will be dedicated to daily brushing, flossing, and rinsing will likely be a patient with healthy gums.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I HAVE PERIODONTAL DISEASE?
  • Do your gums bleed when you eat, brush, or floss?
  • Do you have teeth that are loose that shouldn’t be?
  • Is there a new gap between your teeth that didn’t exist before?
  • Do you struggle with chronic bad breath?
  • Have you noticed infection or pus around your gums or teeth?
  • Have you noticed that your gums are puffy or red?
  • Have you experienced any soreness, tenderness, or discomfort in your gums?

Any one of these symptoms could be an indicator of periodontal disease. It is recommended that you contact your office soon for an appointment and additional evaluation by your dentist. Dr. Nader Zanzi and his staff will also be watchful for any symptoms of gum disease when you are in for a regularly planned exam.

TYPES OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE

Periodontal disease can be divided into three main categories:

  • Gingivitis – In this early stage of periodontitis, a lack of oral hygiene allows built-up plaque to begin to irritate the gums. The patient will also notice sore and puffy gums. At times, the gums may bleed.
  • Periodontitis – In this next stage, the untreated plaque has begun to harden and turn into tartar. Eventually, the result is the separation of the gums from the teeth. The separation allows air pockets to begin to form between the infected teeth and gums. As the condition worsens, those air pockets are likely to also become filled with infection and bacteria. The gums will become even more irritated and will likely bleed more than before. This is when the possibility for bone loss begins to set in.
  • Advanced Periodontitis – As a result of bone loss and air pockets surrounding the infected gums, teeth will loosen more and there will be the real possibility of them falling out. The possibility also develops that there will be severe bone loss.
TREATMENTS FOR PERIODONTAL DISEASE

Your doctor will help determine a treatment depending upon the severity of the gum disease. If the gum disease is still in its early stages, usually a couple of deep cleanings at the office will solve the problem.

If the gum disease has progressed to something more severe, the doctor may prescribe the use of a procedure called scaling and root planing. This procedure will involve a thorough cleaning of any air pockets around the gums. This will be followed up by smoothing the rough spots on the root’s surface. Usually, the treated air pockets will close of their own accord after being cleaned out. If this does not happen, your doctor may recommend periodontal surgery to reduce the size of these pockets.

AVOIDING PERIODONTAL DISEASE ONCE YOU’VE HAD IT

Since plaque can turn to tartar in less than 24 hours, it is highly recommended that you be consistently dedicated to thorough brushing, flossing, and rinsing. If you have had a severe case of periodontal disease, Dr. Zanzi may recommend a more frequent schedule of dental exams. This will allow him to keep a closer eye on your gums and stop any developing periodontal disease in its earliest stages.

If you’ve been diagnosed with gum disease, there are a variety of treatment options 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.

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: under the gum line, 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 a 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.

If the tissue or bone surrounding your teeth is too damaged to be repaired with non-surgical treatment, several surgical procedures are available to prevent severe damage and to restore a healthy smile. We will recommend the procedure that is best suited to the condition of your teeth and gums. Following is a list of common types of periodontal surgery:

  • Pocket Depth Reduction
    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 pocket reduction procedures (also known as “flap 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.
  • Regeneration
    When the bone 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.
  • Soft-Tissue Graft
    A frequent symptom of gum disease is gum recession (also called gingival recession). As the gums recede, more of the roots are revealed. This can make teeth appear longer and can also create sensitivity to hot or cold liquids or food. It also exposes the tooth to increased 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. This procedure can also be performed for cosmetic reasons.
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