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Periodontal Treatments & Procedures by Periodontist Houston

Keep Your Gums Healthy with a Periodontist in Houston

It is never too late to see a periodontist in Houston, TX. We understand your concerns, but and we’re here to help when you are ready.

What Does a Periodontist Do?

Periodontists are dentists who specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating periodontal disease. They can also place dental implants.

Periodontics Treatment for Periodontitis

Periodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of periodontal disease.

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease that causes infection and destruction to the gums, and other supporting structures around your teeth, including:

  • The gums
  • The jaw bone
  • The cementum
  • The ligament that holds your tooth in place or periodontal ligament

How Does Periodontal Disease Occur?

Periodontal disease occurs due to tooth decay or dental cavities. Bacteria in your teeth emit an acid that creates cavities. These cavities are visible as holes on the dental enamel.

The dental pulp in your tooth has blood vessels and nerves, which makes it easier for the bacteria to access the root of your tooth. Once the bacteria reach the root, what results is a severe infection characterized by pain and abscesses.

This severe infection, referred to as periodontitis, affects not only your gums but also the structures around the base of the teeth. If not treated, periodontitis causes severe pain and eventually, loss of teeth.

Periodontitis Treatment Options

Periodontitis is a severe form of periodontal disease, also known as gum disease. The disease damages the tooth soft tissues and the surrounding bone that hold the teeth in place. The result may be pulling away from the gum from the tooth, bone loss, and the falling out or loosening of the tooth.

Untreated gum disease also leads to loss of teeth. and increases the risk of a heart attack, stroke, and other health issues.

At Portal Cypress Dentistry, our periodontists focus on the treatment of periodontitis. In addition to having a degree in dentistry, the professionals have training in periodontics. The training has equipped them with critical skills to diagnose and treat all periodontics-related issues. In addition to treating the gums and the supporting structures of the tooth, our periodontists also offer dental implant surgery and other dental cosmetics procedures.

Our periodontitis treatment aims at removing the bacteria from your teeth pockets to prevent further destruction of the tooth tissue and bone.

Some of the gum disease treatment options we offer include:

  1. Non-Surgical Treatment

    This is the conservative treatment available for gum disease. Our periodontists will use the Scaling and Root Planing (SRP) technique, which involves scraping and removal of tartar and plaque from your teeth and its surfaces.

    To carry out the procedure, the periodontist will use an ultrasonic tool to break the plaque, making it easy to remove. This technique is known as tooth scaling. Later, root planing helps to smoothen the rough parts of your tooth root to prevent bacteria from gathering.

    The non-surgical procedure takes one or two visits, depending on the extent of plaque on your teeth. After the treatment, the gums will heal and attach to the cleaned teeth surfaces. After treatment, you will have to follow proper oral hygiene to prevent further accumulation of plaque.

  2. Surgical Treatment Options

    In case non-surgical treatment isn’t effective due to extensive plaque buildup, we can recommend surgical options such as:
  • Flap surgery or pocket reduction treatment

    If your gum tissue is loose and it doesn’t perfectly fit around your tooth, it will be impossible to clean the tooth’s deep pocket. In such an instance, our periodontist may recommend flap surgery.

    Flap surgery involves the folding of the gum tissue and reducing the deep pockets such that it becomes easier to remove the tartar. The periodontist will then fold the gum back in place so that it fits close to your tooth. The gum will heal and fit snugly around your tooth after the surgery.

  • Gum and tissue graft

    Gum and tissue grafting involves the regeneration of destroyed tissue and gum due to cavities. Our periodontist can use soft tissue graft where tissue is sought from another part of your body such as from the mouth palate. This tissue helps to cover the root.

    The covering of the root is necessary as it reduces sensitivity and also protects further gum recession, bone loss and decaying of the root.

  • Bone regenerative procedure

    During this treatment option, our periodontists will clean and scalp the tooth to remove bacteria. The team will then use a synthetic or natural bone to cover the parts that have experienced bone loss. To help the bone regrow, tissue-stimulating proteins may be used.

    The dentist may also recommend the guided tissue regeneration technique. This is a procedure that directs the growth of new bone by the use of barrier membranes.

    A small mesh-like material is used and inserted between the bone and gum tissue, preventing the gum from growing in the bone space to give the bone a chance to regrow. The result is the regeneration and repair of the bone.

After Treatment Care

After your periodontitis treatment is over, you’ll need to keep your teeth clean to prevent the recurrence of periodontal disease. Our periodontists will give you good oral hygiene guidelines to ensure that the infection doesn’t reoccur.

Here are some guidelines you should follow:

  • Properly brush your teeth at least twice a day with an effective toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Use the right flossing technique daily to ensure the areas between the teeth are clean
  • Use an antimicrobial mouthwash after brushing to prevent the growth of bacteria
  • Quit smoking as this can slow down the healing process and increases the risk of recurrence of periodontal disease
  • Visit the dentist for regular checkups and cleaning

Other Periodontal Procedures That We Offer

In addition, you can get other types of gum disease treatments from Portal Cypress Family Dentistry. Other procedures that we can help you with include:

  • Dental implant surgery

    If you have lost your teeth due to gum disease, our facility offers dental implant surgery. Dental implants are artificial teeth implanted in your jaw to replace missing teeth. The implants look just like your natural teeth.

    The implant, which has a metal post and an artificial tooth on the top, is implanted at the tooth root area. The dental implant surgery ensures that the structure of the remaining teeth is maintained and also keeps your chewing abilities intact.

  • Crown lengthening procedure

    Crown lengthening helps to expose more of your tooth, in case there isn’t enough of it sticking out to support a crown or a filling. The procedure involves the removal of the surrounding bone or gum tissue.

    Moreover, some people have lots of gum tissue surrounding their teeth, also known as “gummy smile.” In such instances, crown lengthening aims to improve the appearance of your smile and to ensure there is enough space between your gums, teeth, and bone.

People Also Ask When to Visit a Periodontist

Overlooked plaque can quickly accumulate, leading to gum disease. Periodontitis is preventable through regular dental checkups and good oral hygiene.

Shows a periodontist at work

However, if you suspect that you have gum disease, you need to visit a periodontist. Some of the symptoms that may indicate the initial stages of gum disease include:

  • Swollen gums
  • Bleeding while eating and brushing
  • Receding gums that make your teeth look longer
  • Loose teeth
  • Pus between the teeth and gums
  • Mouth sores
  • Bad breath or halitosis

Periodontal non-surgical and surgical procedures can restore your smile and treat issues related to receding gums, missing teeth, and excess gums. Visit Portal Cypress Family Dentistry to get your gum disease treated. Our friendly periodontists will also advise you on tow to prevent the recurrence of the disease.

When Should I See a Periodontist?

It’s best to see a periodontist when you notice bite pattern changes, your gums bleed, or when the gums are inflamed, but there is never a wrong time.