Periodontics Fairfax, VA
Treat periodontal (gum) disease and decay.
Periodontal (gum) disease is an infection of the gums and/or surrounding soft tissue, caused by a buildup of bacteria. The best way to prevent such infections is to practice good brushing, flossing, and nutrition every day. However, once infection does occur, we have several effective ways to treat the condition. These fall into the treatment category we call periodontics.
Beginning in small crevices where the tooth meets the gum, the infection may appear as only minor swelling or bleeding. As the infection progresses, however, it moves deeper below the gum line, where it forms pockets of bacteria around the roots of the tooth. When left untreated, the disease will decay the bone around the tooth and jaw, possibly resulting in tooth loss. That’s why it’s so critical to seek treatment as soon as possible.
It is important to keep the disease from progressing, with one or more of the following treatments:
- Treat gum disease on an ongoing basis with periodontal maintenance.
- Remove tough buildup from your teeth with ultrasonic cleaning.
- Remove plaque, calcification, and buildup with scaling and root planing.
- Eliminate periodontal infections more effectively with laser treatment.
- Treat and prevent gum disease with pocket reduction surgery.
- Reshape/remove excessive gum tissue with crown lengthening.
- When teeth are left exposed by receding gums, treat them with a gingival graft.
- Treat gum recession that’s led to resorption with guided bone regeneration.
- Use at-home trays and solutions to treat periodontal disease with Perio Protect®.