Periodontics for Gum Disease Treatment in Oshawa
Healthy gums and teeth are essential aspects of a lasting smile, yet many don’t realize they may have problems with gum health or are at risk for tooth loss. At Clearbrook Dental, we’re passionate about protecting your oral and overall health through the dental specialty of periodontics. With our in-house periodontist, Dr. Michael Landzberg, backed by our team of experienced Oshawa dentists, we are equipped to provide you with the care you need.
Our team combines advanced techniques and technology to deliver care designed to protect and maintain your gums, teeth, and jawbone. Don't let the function, health, and beauty of your smile be disrupted by gum disease or tooth loss. Contact Clearbrook Dental for professional gum health and dental care today.
CALL US: (905) 434-4244 REQUEST APPOINTMENT
What is Periodontics?
Periodontics is a specialty branch in dentistry that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of gum disease. With periodontics, the goal is to protect the health of your gums, which contributes to your overall health as well. Gum care includes working to eliminate inflammation, infection, and diseases that attack the gums, tissues, and ligaments holding teeth in place.
Periodontists receive additional training of up to three years beyond dental school. They utilize their extensive knowledge to treat the issues that impact the gums, soft tissues, bone, and teeth with skill.
As a periodontist, Dr. Landzberg is specially licensed to perform various treatments and procedures designed to help these areas of the smile. Because he has an advanced understanding of the health and structure of the gums and jawbone, this gives our periodontist the expertise to properly place dental implants as well.
Our Available Gum Treatments in Oshawa
Periodontal care, like gum disease, doesn’t discriminate against age. As a family dental practice, we can tailor these services to children and teens when necessary. While gum disease is typically more common in adults and seniors, it can still affect the smiles of kids and adolescents.
Treatment often depends on the level of gum irritation and the severity of your gum infection. Our Oshawa dentists evaluate your current oral health. From there, we work closely with you to create a treatment plan fully customized to your needs.
We provide the following services designed to protect and maintain your gum health:
How Can Gum Care from a Periodontist Help Me?
At Clearbrook Dental, our periodontist can treat all stages of gum disease and infection, performing different procedures that help to restore soft tissues and bone. It’s our goal to rejuvenate your smile with proven treatments and expertise.
As part of your care, we educate you about the critical role good oral hygiene can have on your oral health and general well-being. Our Oshawa dentists take time to explain the right ways to brush and floss and how to keep a lookout for common warning signs of gum disease, like tender and bleeding gums.
Why is Protecting Gum Health Important?
Medical evidence shows that there is a distinct connection between oral and overall health. While neglected oral hygiene is often the leading cause of developing gum disease, it's not the only reason. Gum infection can result from genetic factors, hormone changes during pregnancy, and taking certain medications.
Dental plaque and tartar collect on teeth above and below the gumline. The toxins found in plaque can begin to irritate the gums, making them red, swollen, and causing them to bleed during routine brushing and flossing. This is typically the first stage of gum disease, also known as gingivitis.
Without treatment, advanced stages can infect deep within the gum tissues over time. This can lead to gums pulling away from teeth, tooth loss, and sometimes, loss of bone density.
Gum Health & The Oral-Systemic Connection
Oral bacteria from advanced gum disease can enter the bloodstream and cause inflammation in other areas. This inflammation can lead to complications that can affect diabetes, cardiovascular health, arthritis, and even pregnancy. The risks for difficulties with heart disease, elevated blood pressure, low birth weight in newborns, and other whole-body health concerns can increase due to severe gum disease.
How is Gum Disease Treated?
We first determine the current state of your gums so that our periodontist can treat your gum disease properly. We conduct thorough evaluations and may perform detailed cleanings. These help us gain an in-depth look into your gum health and reveal signs of the infection.
During exams, we check the depth of gum tissue pockets below the gum line. We use special tools to measure the space between tooth roots and gums gently. When we find sizable pockets, we recommend treatment to help restore gum tissue health, eliminate infection, and stop gum disease from developing further.
At Clearbrook Dental, we offer both non-surgical treatments and surgical procedures to help keep your smile healthy. We can use dental lasers to kill harmful bacteria in the areas needing treatment, helping make care safe and encourage effective healing.
Non-Surgical Treatments Options
- Tooth Scaling & Root Planing: This procedure is also known as a deep periodontal cleaning. Tooth scaling involves removing the bacteria, dental plaque, and hardened tartar from the surfaces of your teeth and under the gum line. Typically, we use special cleaning instruments or a dental laser. Root planing involves smoothing the root surfaces. This helps to discourage future bacteria and tartar build-up and removes toxic by-products that contribute to gum disease. This treatment also helps to encourage gums to re-attach as they heal.
- Antibiotics: Antibiotics can help to control the early stages of gum infection. Topical options may include rinses or gels applied to the space between your teeth and gums or into periodontal pockets after deep cleanings. Oral treatments may also be needed to eliminate bacteria.
Surgical Procedures for Improved Gum Health & Beauty
At Clearbrook Dental, many of our surgical options for treating advanced gum disease can also help to revive the look and function of your gums and bone. Our surgical procedures include:
Bone Grafts: During a bone graft, our periodontist adds bone material into your jaw to help rebuild its shape and strength. Dr. Landzberg can use existing bone material from another area of your body or artificial material that builds new bone. This procedure helps to regenerate bone density, so the jawbone is strong enough to support dental implants.
Gum Grafts: Our periodontist performs this regenerative procedure to correct the effects of gum recession, typically due to advanced gum disease. Healthy tissue from the roof of the mouth is often used to replace the gum tissue lost.
Sinus Lifts: Sometimes, the area between the sinuses and the upper jaw is weak due to prolonged tooth loss or advanced gum disease. This can also be a result of genetics. In these situations, our periodontist can add new bone to your upper jaw in the area of your molars. A sinus lift might be necessary to prepare the area for dental implant placement.
Crown Lengthening: Crown lengthening involves reshaping gum tissue to prepare the area for a crown restoration. It may also be used cosmetically for those who have a naturally high gum line that makes their teeth appear short.
Gum Disease Maintenance for Protecting Your Gums & Oral Health
For patients who are susceptible to gum disease or have been treated for gum infection previously, scheduled maintenance cleanings may be required. This ongoing care helps to prevent further and future development of gum disease. Depending on your situation, our Oshawa dentists and periodontist may recommend maintenance treatment as often as every three months.
Contact Our Specialist for Periodontal Care
Our periodontist, Dr. Michael Landzberg, and our general dentists enjoy helping individuals and their families throughout Oshawa protect their teeth and gums. With our in-house specialist, we can provide the periodontal care you need. Contact Clearbrook Dental to schedule your gum disease assessment today!
CALL US: (905) 434-4244 REQUEST APPOINTMENT