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What Are the Risks of Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is caused by bacteria that accumulate on the teeth and gums and form plaque and tartar. Left untreated can lead to tooth loss and other serious health issues. Some of the risk factors associated with periodontal disease include:
Poor Oral Hygiene: If you do not brush and floss regularly, plaque and tartar can accumulate on your teeth and gums, increasing your risk of periodontal disease.
Smoking and Tobacco Use: Tobacco use weakens the immune system and makes it harder for the body to fight off infections, including those that cause periodontal disease.
Genetics: Some people may be more susceptible to periodontal disease due to genetic factors.
Diabetes: Diabetes can affect the body's ability to fight infections, making preventing and treating periodontal disease more difficult.
Treatments We Offer When You Contact Us for Periodontics
Periodontics is a specialized branch of dentistry that focuses on preventing, diagnosing, and treating diseases affecting the supporting structures of the teeth, including the gums, bone, and connective tissues. Some of our common treatments include:
Scaling and Root Planing: This non-surgical treatment involves removing plaque and tartar from the teeth and roots and smoothing the root surfaces to prevent bacteria from adhering to them.
Periodontal Surgery: In severe cases of periodontal disease, surgery may be necessary to clean and remove damaged tissue, reshape the bone, and regenerate lost tissue.
Gum Graft Surgery: This procedure treats receding gums and involves taking tissue from another part of the mouth and grafting it onto the area with the receding gums.
Dental Implants: Implants are a popular treatment option for replacing missing teeth. They involve surgically placing a titanium post into the jawbone and attaching a replacement tooth.
Pocket Reduction Surgery: This procedure involves folding back the gums and removing bacteria and tartar from deep pockets around the teeth.
Bone Grafting: It involves placing bone or a bone-like material into an area of the jawbone damaged by periodontal disease to encourage the growth of new bone tissue.
These are just a few treatments our periodontists offer patients in St. Helena.