How do I know if I have gum disease?
Periodontitis, an advanced type of Periodontal Disease, occurs when bacteria trapped under the gums lead to a chronic infection and subsequent breakdown of the bone and soft tissues supporting the teeth.
Over a period of time, the disease causes the supporting layer of the gum and bone to pull away from the teeth to form pockets. As the disease progresses, these pockets deepen, leading to loosening of teeth.
Studies indicate that older people have the highest rates of periodontal disease.
Research indicates that some people may be genetically susceptible to gum disease. These people may be more likely to develop periodontal disease, regardless of how well they care for their teeth.
Studies have shown that tobacco use may be one of the most significant risk factors in the development and progression of periodontal disease.
Stress is linked to many serious conditions such as hypertension, cancer, and numerous other health problems. Research demonstrates that stress can make it more difficult for the body to fight off infection, including periodontal diseases.
Some medication, such as oral contraceptives, anti-depressants, and certain heart medicines, can affect your oral health. It is important to inform your periodontist of all medicines you are taking and any changes in your overall health.
Clenching or grinding your teeth can put excess force on the supporting tissues of the teeth and could speed up the rate at which these periodontal tissues are destroyed.
Other systemic diseases that interfere with the body’s inflammatory system may worsen the condition of the gums. Several studies have demonstrated a connection between periodontal disease and other conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.
A diet low in important nutrients can compromise the body’s immune system and make it harder for the body to fight off infection. Because periodontal disease begins as an infection, poor nutrition can worsen the condition of your gums. In addition, research has shown that obesity may increase the risk of periodontal disease.
The close relationship of orthodontic appliances to the gums, plaque accumulation, and the obstructions they pose to oral hygiene habits increase the risk of gum disease.
Orthodontic treatment improves dental and skeletal problems. However, the placement of an orthodontic appliance in a person’s mouth is often associated with changes in their oral hygiene habits and therefore their periodontal health. Orthodontic appliances are also prone to cause local soft tissue responses in the gums.
Periodontal screening is therefore essential prior and during orthodontic treatment.
Cooperation among patients, periodontists, and orthodontists is key!
A non-surgical procedure might be an option for you in the early stages of the disease to prevent eventual tooth loss.
Scaling and Root Planing involve using special instruments to remove plaque and calculus from above and below your gumline.
Treatment frequency depends on the severity of the disease.
When periodontal disease has already progressed to a more advanced stage, surgery is usually indicated. After careful clinical consideration, Dr. Glen-Spyron will discuss with you which treatment procedure is best suited to your specific clinical condition.
During this procedure, the gum is lifted and rolled back, afterwhich calculus and bacteria are removed from the root. If needed, the bone is smoothed and reshaped, allowing the gum tissue to reattach to the healthy areas of bone.
This is a surgical procedure to remove diseased gum tissue.
When a tooth is severely decayed, infected or broken, it is often best to remove and replace with a dental implant.
Dr. Glen-Spyron uses medically advanced techniques to stimulate growth of new bone when the bone surrounding the tooth/teeth has been damaged.
The gum is opened with a procedure known as a flap. The area under the gums is cleaned out to remove all bacterial deposits after which a growth medium is placed over the damaged bone. A platelet concentrate prepared from the patient’s own blood may be used to aid tissue regeneration and healing.
Receding gums occur when your gums pull back from the teeth exposing more of the tooth, including the roots. When this happens, gaps form between the gum line and the teeth, making it easy for bacteria to build up and putting you at risk for periodontal disease and/or tooth wearing.
The first sign of gum recession is usually tooth sensitivity, or you may notice that a tooth looks longer than normal. Typically, a notch can be felt near the gum line.
There are numerous causes of gum recession, the most common being:
This is the main cause of gum recession.
Brushing your teeth too hard can cause the enamel on your teeth to wear away and your gums to recede.
When teeth do not come together evenly, too much force can be placed on the gums and bone, allowing gums to recede. Orthodontic treatment is then required. However, placement of an orthodontic appliance in a patient’s mouth may also contribute to gum recession.
Cooperation among patients, periodontists, and orthodontists remains essential.
People born with thinner gum tissue tend to be more susceptible to gum recession.
Fluctuations in female hormone levels during a woman’s lifetime can make gums more sensitive and vulnerable to gum recession.
People who smoke are more likely to have sticky plaque on their teeth that is difficult to remove and can cause gum recession.
Clenching or grinding your teeth put too much force on the teeth, causing gums to recede.
Fortunately, yes. Dental surgery known as gingival grafting can repair the gum and prevent further damage. During this procedure, a small piece of soft tissue will either be taken from elsewhere in the mouth (such as the palate or next to the area that needs grafting) or in certain cases a donor tissue can be used, and attached into the area of insufficient gum tissue.
The graft procedure will be determined by the soft tissue availability around the area. If there has been accompanying bone loss, Dr. Glen-Spyron may also need to complete a procedure that supplements the bone in the vicinity to ensure that the gums have the structural support they need.
The surgery is completed at our practice using a local anesthetic. Patients can also choose conscious sedation or general anaesthesia for a more comfortable experience.
A gummy smile, also known as excessive gingival display is when you smile and too much gum tissue shows above the upper teeth.
Dr. Glen-Spyron can provide several corrective options, depending on the cause of your gummy smile.
These include:
This procedure reshapes your excess gums to expose the natural shape of your teeth. It creates a nice balance between the gums, which are shortened, and the teeth, which are lengthened.The procedure is either done by laser or scalpel, depending on your unique profile.
In this procedure, both your excess gum tissue and the underlying bone are trimmed to expose the full length of your teeth.
This surgical procedure addresses a gummy smile by restricting the muscle pull of the elevator lip muscles, thereby reducing the amount of gum which is displayed when you smile.
This is the least invasive and most short-term way of dealing with a gummy smile. Botox works by temporarily paralysing the elevator muscles so that they don’t drastically raise your upper lip. While this is a faster fix than surgery, the results typically only last a few months. However, if you are considering eventual lip repositioning for a gummy smile, Botox can be a great way to test out what you will look like before undergoing surgery.
Don’t let a gummy smile get in the way of your self-confidence! Contact us to schedule an appointment.
A frenectomy is an oral surgical procedure during which a frenum in the mouth (frenulum) is loosened or removed with a laser. The frenum is the connective tissue membrane that attaches one surface within the mouth to another. Their primary function is to provide stability of the upper and lower lip and the tongue.
There are several frena that are usually present in a normal oral cavity, most notably the maxillary labial frenum, the mandibular labial frenum, and the lingual frenum.
We use state-of-the-art laser technology to make surgery as painless and comfortable as possible
If one or more of the frena in the oral cavity is too short or too tight, it can interfere with breast-or-bottle feeding, swallowing, or speech development and even pose a problem with dental development.
The lingual frenum connects your tongue to your mouth. In some cases, children are born with a lingual frenum that’s very short. A shortened frenum restricts the movement of the tongue. This condition is called ankyloglossia, or “tongue tie” and can interfere with breast-or-bottle feeding during the infant years and speech development as a child grows older.
A quick surgical procedure called a lingual frenectomy can give the tongue a greater range of motion.
The labial frenum connects your top lip to the gum area right above your front teeth.
If this frenum is shorter than average, it can interfere with the proper growth and spacing of the upper two front teeth, often leaving a gap between these teeth.
It can also make it hard to fully clean the gums and front teeth. This raises the risk of gum disease and may cause future orthodontic problems. This condition is a type of lip adhesion. A quick surgical procedure called a maxillary frenectomy can give the upper lip more mobility.
For many patients, permanent teeth will not erupt from the gums normally and will essentially be trapped completely, or partially, under the gums. This is referred to as an impacted tooth.
If your dentist or orthodontist notices that the child’s teeth are not coming in properly by the age of 12 or 13, you may be referred to our practice to surgically expose the impacted tooth/teeth so that your orthodontic treatment can be completed.
