Gum health is just as important as caring for your teeth.
Periodontics focuses on preventing, diagnosing, and treating gum disease to keep your smile strong and healthy. At Optum Dental Arts in Tampa, FL, we provide expert care to restore your gums and protect your overall oral health. Schedule your consultation today to take the first step toward healthier gums!
What Is Periodontics?
Periodontics focuses on diagnosing and treating conditions that affect the gums and supporting structures of the teeth. Without proper care, gum disease can progress and lead to tooth loss. Our team helps protect your smile with expert periodontal treatments.
- Focus: Treating gum disease and maintaining gum health.
- Goal: Preventing infection, recession, and bone loss.
- Benefit: Keeping your natural teeth stable and healthy.
The Link Between Periodontal Health & Overall Health
Your gums are closely linked to your overall health. Studies show that gum disease can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other medical conditions. Keeping your gums healthy helps protect more than just your smile.
- Heart health: Increased risk of heart disease due to inflammation.
- Diabetes: Gum infections can make blood sugar harder to control.
- Respiratory health: Bacteria from the mouth may lead to lung infections.
What Is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that damages the gums and supporting bone. It begins with plaque buildup that irritates the gums, leading to inflammation and infection. Without treatment, it can progress to gum recession, bone loss, and loose teeth.
- Caused by: Plaque and tartar buildup along the gumline.
- Early stage: Gingivitis, which causes red and swollen gums.
- Advanced stage: Bone loss, gum recession, and loose teeth.
Stages & Symptoms Of Periodontal Disease
Gum disease progresses through different stages, becoming more severe over time. Catching symptoms early can prevent long-term damage. If left untreated, it can lead to tooth loss.
- Gingivitis: Gums appear red, swollen, and bleed when brushing.
- Moderate periodontitis: Deep gum pockets and possible bone loss.
- Severe periodontitis: Loose or shifting teeth due to gum deterioration.
Preventing Periodontal Disease
A strong oral care routine helps prevent gum disease. Daily brushing and flossing, combined with regular dental visits, are key to maintaining healthy gums. Small habits today can prevent major issues in the future.
- Daily care: Brushing twice a day and flossing every night.
- Professional cleanings: Removing stubborn plaque before it hardens.
- Healthy habits: Avoiding tobacco and eating a balanced diet.
Our Periodontic Services
We offer a variety of periodontal treatments to restore and maintain healthy gums. Whether you need a deep cleaning, antibiotics, or surgical care, we provide personalized solutions. Explore our services below to find the right treatment for your needs.
Scaling and root planing removes plaque and tartar beneath the gums. This deep cleaning also smooths rough root surfaces to help gums heal and reattach. It’s an effective treatment for early to moderate gum disease.
- Purpose: Clears bacteria from below the gumline.
- Process: Scaling removes plaque; root planing smooths rough surfaces.
- Benefit: Reduces inflammation and encourages gum reattachment.
Antibiotics help eliminate bacteria and reduce gum inflammation. They are often used alongside deep cleanings for better results. This treatment supports healing and prevents infection from worsening.
- Purpose: Controls bacterial growth and prevents infection spread.
- Types: Topical gels, oral antibiotics, or antimicrobial rinses.
- Effectiveness: Helps shrink gum pockets and reduce inflammation.
Laser periodontal therapy is a minimally invasive way to treat gum disease. It removes infected tissue while preserving healthy gums, leading to quicker healing. This advanced approach reduces discomfort and recovery time.
- Purpose: Removes infected gum tissue with high precision.
- Minimally invasive: Less bleeding and faster healing time.
- Effectiveness: Encourages gum reattachment and tissue regeneration.
Gum surgery is necessary for severe gum disease that can’t be treated with deep cleaning alone. It removes damaged tissue and reshapes the gums to promote healing. This procedure helps restore a healthier gum structure.
- Purpose: Removes diseased tissue and reshapes gums.
- Procedure: Gums are lifted to clean deep pockets of infection.
- Healing time: Varies based on the type of surgery performed.
Gum grafting restores lost gum tissue and protects exposed tooth roots. This procedure helps reduce sensitivity and prevents further gum recession. It also improves the appearance of your smile.
- Purpose: Covers exposed roots and prevents further gum loss.
- Types: Connective tissue grafts, free gingival grafts, and pedicle grafts.
- Benefit: Enhances gum health and protects teeth from decay.
Bone grafting helps regenerate lost bone caused by gum disease. It strengthens the jaw and provides support for natural teeth or future dental implants. This procedure is essential for long-term oral health.
- Purpose: Regenerates lost bone structure in the jaw.
- Materials: Natural bone, synthetic grafts, or donor tissue.
- Benefit: Supports existing teeth and makes implants possible.
A sinus lift is a specialized bone grafting procedure for the upper jaw. It creates enough bone density to support dental implants in the back of the mouth. This treatment is essential for patients with bone loss in this area.
- Purpose: Increases bone density in the upper jaw.
- Procedure: Lifts the sinus membrane and places bone graft material.
- Benefit: Creates a stable foundation for dental implants.
Give Your Gums The Care They Deserve
Healthy gums are essential for a strong, beautiful smile. Whether you need preventive care or advanced treatment, our team at Optum Dental Arts in Tampa, FL, is here to help. Don’t wait until gum disease causes irreversible damage. Schedule your appointment today and take control of your gum health!