Gum disease is an infection of the tissues that provide essential support for your teeth.
These tissues include the gums, periodontal ligaments, and the jawbone. It begins when bacteria from plaque infects the gum tissues. If the plaque is not removed when you brush and floss, it will turn into a hard substance called tartar(or calculus). If tartar builds up around the gum line, the healthy attachment between the gums and the teeth is broken, allowing bacteria and plaque under the gums and along the tooth roots. This will lead to infection, disease, and the loss of bone around the tooth and eventually loss of the tooth.
If a patient experiences gum disease that results in loss of bone structure or deep bleeding pockets around the teeth, we offer non-surgical periodontal therapy. This involves removing hard deposits (calculus/tartar) on the roots under the gums, Laser debridement of the diseased gum tissue, and anti-microbial medicine placed in the pockets around the teeth. These patients are monitored closely to assess resolution of their disease.
Wynnewood Family Dental strives to ensure that our patients visit for regular check-ups to help prevent gum disease, and if necessary to discover and treat gum disease that has already begun to set in.
