Florissant, MO

Periodontal Treatment Florissant, MO

Periodontal Treatment in Florissant, MO. Periodontal disease, the technical term for gum disease, is a condition that affects many Americans. While it can cause anything from slight discomfort to painful dental issues, it can affect our daily lives and limit how much we want to smile. If you notice gums becoming more tender, daily tasks like brushing your teeth are painful, or you are experiencing more serious issues like significant gaps between your teeth and gums, do not wait to get periodontal treatment in Florissant, MO. Plaza Dental Center is comprised of a caring and friendly staff that treats everyone who walks through our doors as family in order to break down barriers for apprehensive patients. For periodontal treatment in Florissant, MO, or just a standard examination with a welcoming dentist, call Plaza Dental today at 314-361-1818 or request an appointment online.

Stages of Gum Disease | Florissant, MO Periodontal Treatment

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, periodontal disease affects almost half of adults over 30, and almost three-quarters of adults over 65 suffer from it. Periodontal infections are classified in two distinct categories: gingivitis in its mild form, and periodontitis if it’s not treated:

1. Gingivitis — Gingivitis happens when plaque that contains bacteria and harmful toxins builds up. If the plaque is not removed through proper oral health care, it becomes tartar which is a hard calcified deposit that contributes to decay, and can only be removed by a dentist. If the tartar is allowed to accumulate, the gingiva, or the the gum tissue that surrounds the teeth and holds them in place, it causes inflammation, leading to the gum disease known as gingivitis. You may have gingivitis if you notice:
   • Redness
   • Swelling
   • Bad Breath that won’t go away
   • Receding gums
   • Sensitive gums
   • Painful chewing
   • New teeth sensitivity to temperature in your mouth
   • Blood on your toothbrush

   If you experience any of the above symptoms, it’s important to seek out gingivitis treatment right away, or it could result in serious dental problems down the line.

2. Periodontitis — Periodontitis is a serious dental problem that occurs when even more tartar and bacteria build up. This creating pockets between your teeth and gums where more bacteria will collect. If you do not immediately seek periodontal therapy, periodontitis can destroy the bone that supports your teeth. Symptoms include:
   • Deep red gums
   • Gums that bleed easily
   • Gaps between your teeth and gums
   • Pus between your teeth and gums
   • Loose teeth
   • Tooth loss
   • A change in in your bite marks

   If you show any symptoms of periodontitis, reach out to a Florissant, MO dentist for periodontal treatment ASAP, and schedule an appointment for emergency dental procedures you are losing teeth or about to lose a tooth.

Periodontitis Risk Factors

For the most part, we can prevent gingivitis and other periodontal disease ourselves. We can make a decision to lower the risk of having to seek out periodontal treatment. Associated risk factors include:

• Poor oral hygiene
• Not going to twice yearly dental examinations
• Smoking or otherwise using tobacco
• Old age
• Xerostomia
• Poor nutrition
• Conditions that compromise immunity
• Specific prescription drugs
• DNA
• Certain viral or fungal infections
• Stress
• Teeth grinding

While we don’t have responsibility over every risk factor, simple and practical steps such as brushing and flossing and twice yearly cleanings and polishings will usually not allow gingivitis to occur. Twice yearly dental examinations at a professional dentist office will catch gingivitis in its early stages.

Periodontal Treatment for Gum Disease in Florissant, MO

While prevention and care often stave off gingivitis and periodontitis, sometimes something happens beyond our control. Once gum disease has progressed, there are a variety of treatment options your Florissant, MO dentist can pursue depending on the severity of the disease:

• Antibiotics — In gum disease’s early stages, antibiotics are frequently a first recourse for non-invasive procedures. Antibiotics can be given with topical gels applied on your periodontal pockets or antiseptic mouthwash.
• Deep scaling and root planning — Tartar sticks most strongly to tooth roots. In deep scaling, an ultrasonic scaler is used to scrape below gums and remove tartar. Scaling can leave the tooth surface rough, so it is usually followed by root planning, which smooths tooth surfaces, promoting proper healing.
• LANAP or Laser Assisted Regeneration — LANAP is a dental technology which uses a laser to target and remove diseased tissue and kill germs while leaving healthy tissue unharmed. Once the harmful tissue and bacteria is gone, your Florissant, MO dentist will use use a different laser to connect gum tissue back to the root.
• Maxillofacial surgery — The technical term for oral surgery, this can include osseous surgery, or pocket reduction surgery, to remove bacteria and diseased gum tissue, smooth any damaged bone, and stitches your gum back to the tooth. Other surgeries such as soft tissue grafts from either a donation or another part of your mouth to replace damaged tissue, or a bone graft to restore lost bone.
• Other treatment options — Other treatment options can include guided tissue regeneration, which places a special fabric between the bone and tooth to prevent diseased tissue from touching the tooth and encourage the body’s natural healing process. Your Florissant, MO dentist may also implement a special gel on a diseased tooth root that stimulates the growth of healthy bone and tissue.
• Dental implants — If part of your periodontal treatment includes replacing lost teeth, the Plaza Dental Center team implement dental implants, which look, feel, and act just like natural teeth.

Our lead dentist Dr. Joseph Cutrona was met with large, complex cases while doing his residency at the University of Michigan. This means he can help Florissant, MO residents with mild to severe dental problems. Apprehensive patients are of particular concern to us. If you have serious gum disease partially caused by anxiety sitting in the dentist’s chair, we’ll ensure you feel calm, confident, and comfortable so you can get back to optimum dental health.

See what other services we offer in Florissant, MO by clicking on the links below:

• Dental Emergency
• Gum Contouring
• Broken Tooth Repair
• Invisalign®
• Tooth Pain Relief
• Composite Fillings
• Tooth Pain
• Gingivitis Treatment
• Dentist Near Me

Florissant, MO Periodontal Treatment | Plaza Dental Center

Whether you’re seeking periodontal treatment for mild or significant symptoms, Plaza Dental Centers committed, compassionate, and capable Florissant, MO team will get you smiling as you leave our office in no time. Everyone deserves a smile they feel confident with, and a healthy mouth that makes basic tasks pain-free. For the highest quality periodontal treatment in Florissant, MO, call Plaza Dental today at 314-361-1818 or fill out our online form.