At Alta Vista Dental Clinic, our dentist provides periodontal gum therapy, including the treatment of gum disease, cosmetic gum procedures, and placement of dental implants to replace missing teeth.
What is Gum Disease?
Gum (periodontal) disease is an infection of the tissues that support the teeth. Usually caused by poor oral hygiene habits that enable plaque to build up on the teeth and harden into tartar, this condition eventually affects the gums.
Left untreated, gum disease can cause a number of oral health issues, including inflamed and bleeding gums, a receding gum line, bacteria-filled pockets that form between the teeth and gums, and eventual bone loss.
Gum Disease Therapy in Ottawa
Treatment methods for periodontal disease are determined by the type and severity of your condition. Our dentist will work with you to develop a treatment plan based on your specific case.
Once you've completed your periodontal treatment, our dental team will recommend that you see us regularly for dental examinations and preventive therapy, typically four times a year.
- Preventive Gum Therapy
If gum disease is detected in its early stages, we will recommend preventive therapy. Regular hygiene cleanings and exams are essential to maintaining gum health.
By practicing excellent oral hygiene at home and eating a balanced diet, you can also significantly decrease your risk of ever getting gum disease.
- Non-Surgical Gum Therapy
For patients with mild gum disease, a deep cleaning completed by a dental hygienist may be enough to reverse it.
During this cleaning, the hygienist will scrape away the plaque and tartar surrounding and below the gum line. Any rough areas left behind will be smoothed out with a process called scaling and root planing.
- Surgical Gum Therapy
Patients with more advanced forms of gum disease may require more invasive surgical treatments to reverse it.
Different types of surgical gum therapies include gum grafting and bone grafting.
With the help of lasers, we can typically perform gum surgery in a more precise, minimally invasive way, with a reduced need for pain killers and antibiotics, and faster healing time with less gum recession than with traditional methods.
Laser Periodontal Therapy in Ottawa
Lasers are useful in performing periodontal therapy and periodontal pocket disinfection. Our dentist can safely and effectively treat gum disease while reducing tooth sensitivity, eliminating the need for an anesthetic in some cases, and reducing the risk of bleeding or infection. This therapeutic dental procedure can help restore your oral health and leave you with a smile you can be proud of.
Placing Dental Implants in Ottawa
Periodontics also includes the placement of dental implants below the gum line as part of the process to replace missing teeth. Once a dental implant is placed, the gums have healed, and a tooth replacement is added. This procedure can help with your oral health.