Houston Periodontal Therapy
Let our In-House Periodontist Treat Your Gum Disease
Up to 80 percent of the population unknowingly has some form of gum disease. Characterized by a persistent bacterial infection surrounding one tooth or several teeth, gum disease causes little discomfort and produces few obvious symptoms in the early stages.
When periodontal disease is not treated, it will spread and compromise gums, teeth, bone, and it can lead to heart disease and strokes, as well as diabetes and pregnancy complications.
Who is at Risk for Periodontal Disease?
Any of the following conditions greatly exacerbate the risk of gum disease: smoking, tobacco use, hormone fluctuations, stress, some medications, bruxism, diabetes, poor nutrition, HIV, and any disease resulting in immune-suppression, heredity, and poor oral hygiene.
Even patients who practice good oral home care routines can get gum disease. Gums irritated by bacteria can recede from the teeth, creating deep pockets where more bacteria can hide and flourish.
Treating Gum Disease with a Local Periodontist
One advantage that we can offer you over any other dentist in Houston is that we have a periodontist on staff, who specializes in the treatment of periodontal disease and placement of dental implants. Oftentimes dentists must refer their patients to periodontal specialists, but with The Houston Dentists, we enable you to stay in our office to receive your treatment for advanced gum disease.
If we recommend that you seek treatment from our in-house periodontist, it is because we feel this is the best course of treatment for your specific condition. Our dentists work hand in hand with our staffed periodontist to ensure that you receive top-quality health care for your disorder.
Generally, treatment will include careful, individualized instruction regarding the most effective means of brushing and flossing at home. This strategy is sometimes accompanied by professional scaling or careful scraping of all affected tooth surfaces, gum pocket irrigation, and even local antibiotic placement in areas of significant irritation.
Often, patients experience immediate improvement. If, however, symptoms don’t improve significantly, you may require surgical treatment.
Surgical Treatments
If gum disease progresses without intervention, a patient may need surgery to aggressively combat the disease and restore the mouth to good oral health. Typically, periodontists may perform one of the following surgical treatments:
- Pocket depth reduction
- Bone or tissue regeneration
- Crown lengthening, and/or soft tissue grafts
All of these procedures may improve your chances of keeping your teeth for life. If you have further questions about gum disease and current treatments, please contact our Houston dental office for a consultation.
