Periodontics at Aesthetic Dental Center of Bergen County

Periodontics is an area of dentistry involving a focus on inflammatory gum disease that can destroy this soft tissue and surrounding structures. Periodontists are special types of dentists who deal with preventing, diagnosing and treating periodontal disease, commonly known as gum disease. They also specialize in placing dental implants.

A periodontist must go through extensive training within a number of areas, including three more years of post-dental school education. Since they specialize in periodontal disease, they are extremely familiar with the most advanced techniques to diagnose and treat periodontal disease. They can also perform cosmetic periodontal procedures.

A periodontist is skilled in the treatment of conditions including mild gingivitis, as well as more severe periodontitis. They provide a wide array of procedures like root surface debridement, scaling and root planing, and certain regenerative treatments like reversing bone and tissue loss. Periodontists are also able to perform surgery when needed for severe gum disease. They are also experts at placing, maintaining and repairing dental implants.

Let's take a look at some procedures performed by periodontists.

Pocket Reduction Surgery

Healthy gum tissue and bone should firmly fit around your teeth like a turtleneck sweater fits around your neck. Patients who have gum disease often experience the destruction of supporting tissues and bone, leading to the formation of pockets around their teeth.

These pockets will eventually deepen, which allows more space for bacteria to form and thrive. This accumulated bacteria eventually causes the loss of bone and tissue. When too much bone and tissue loss occurs, teeth will require extracting.

During pocket reduction surgery, your periodontist will pull back your gums, removing bacteria and replacing the soft tissue. This is important because the reduction of pocket depth and elimination of bacteria helps protect against further damage so that you can keep your healthy smile. A combination of pocket reduction and proper, daily oral hygiene gives you your best chance of retaining your natural teeth.

Gum Graft Surgery

Gum recession leads to exposed tooth roots. This can be repaired using gum graft surgery, which also prevents further recession and bone loss. Your periodontist can utilize a gum graft procedure to conceal roots or encourage the development of gum tissue that has been lost due to gum recession. During this type of surgery, your periodontist will remove tissue from a donor source to cover up any exposed tooth roots.

Gum grafts are used to prevent further bone loss and gum recession. Sometimes it can be used to cover exposed tooth roots, which guards them from decay. This can lead to reduced tooth sensitivity and improved smile aesthetics.

Gingivoplasty

This is a type of gum surgery that involves reshaping gum tissue around teeth to improve their aesthetics. If the patient is experiencing tooth recession where gum tissue has receded away from the teeth, a gingivoplasty procedure can be performed.

A gum graft procedure can be performed involving tissue taken from the roof of the mouth and stitched onto the side of the recessed tooth.

Following gum surgery, it is critical that you follow our instructions for cleaning your teeth and gum tissue very carefully. This can be accomplished using a toothbrush, fluoride toothpaste, and by flossing and using antibacterial rinse.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are now considered to be the gold standard for tooth replacement. This is because implants provide a long-lasting solution that also prevents problems like teeth shifting into gaps left by missing teeth. 

It takes a couple of visits to receive your dental implants. Prior to your surgical visit, you will have diagnostic images taken, including two-dimensional or three-dimensional X-rays. This advanced technology allows us to properly plan and perform the implant surgery. 

First, your periodontist will insert a titanium screw into your jaw. It will take a few months for the implant to fuse with the jawbone. Once the dental implant has become stable in the bone, the restorative dentist will fabricate a final restoration that consists of an abutment and a crown. The crown will serve as a replacement chewing surface, as well as appearing just like your original tooth.

Although the materials used to construct your dental implant are virtually indestructible, your gums and jawbone are not. So continue to practice proper oral hygiene at home. Brushing and flossing daily are extremely important to help protect your new implant, as well as the rest of your teeth and mouth.

Please reach out to Aesthetic Dental Center of Bergen County to schedule an appointment with our periodontist specialist.