Your North Vancouver Invisalign® Provider
Periodontics & Gum Health
Treatment to Keep Your Gums Healthy
The treatment for gum disease will depend on the type and severity of the condition. In its advanced stages, gum disease can cause a variety of oral health issues, including bleeding or inflamed gums.
What is gum disease?
Gum (periodontal) disease infects the tissues that support the teeth. Typically caused by poor oral hygiene habits that allow plaque to accumulate and harden on the teeth, it can eventually impact the gums.
The earlier gum disease is diagnosed and treated, the easier it will be to control, and the better chance you have of your dentist being able to save your tooth - and preserve your oral health.
Stages of Gum Disease
Gum disease is progressive, meaning that if it's not treated, patients can progress to later stages with more serious impacts on their oral health. The stages of gum disease are:
- Gingivitis
If bacteria is not regularly removed from teeth and gums, it can grow out of control and produce toxins that irritate the gums.
Calculus along the gum line forms a rough surface. Plaque builds up here, causing more irritation and swelling. You may notice bad breath or sore, bleeding gums.
Spaces between gums and teeth (pockets) may develop, but no bone is damaged in this mild, reversible form of periodontal disease.
Regular hygiene cleanings and exams are important for maintaining the health of your gums. They also allow your dentist the opportunity to check for developing gum disease.
- Periodontitis
The most common cause of periodontitis plaque (and sometimes calculus) is found below the gum line. The ligaments break down and the gum detaches and pulls away from the teeth.
The pockets deepen and fill with more bacteria. Supportive ligaments and bone begin to show damage, resulting in loose teeth.
- Advanced Periodontitis
When periodontitis progresses to the advanced stage, pockets deepen and may fill with pus. There can be swelling round the root and an increase in bone loss, resulting in loose teeth.
It may become necessary to extract teeth to preserve your overall oral health.
Surgical Gum Therapy (Gum Grafting)
A gum graft is a procedure where a small piece of specialized gum tissue is transplanted from the roof of the mouth and placed on the area that needs more gum.
The gum is then attached with a special glue that attaches and protects the new graft so that it can heal. The specialized glue also protects the roof of the mouth, which will need a couple of days to heal following the procedure, then followup appointments to ensure healing is taking place.
Periodontal Specialists for North Vancouver Patients
If your periodontitis is advanced, we refer patients to the Periodontists at Proactice Periodontics in Burnaby for specialized treatment and management periodontal (gum) disease.