Your Sault Ste. Marie Invisalign® Provider
At Bay Dental Group, our dentists provide periodontal care including the treatment of gum disease, cosmetic gum procedures, and placement of dental implants to replace missing teeth and restore your oral health.
What is Gum Disease?
Gum (periodontal) disease is an infection of the supporting tissues of the teeth. This problematic condition is often caused by poor oral hygiene habits that allow plaque to build up on the teeth and harden, eventually affecting the gums.
If left untreated, gum disease can lead to a number of oral health issues including inflamed and bleeding gums, a receding gum line, bacteria-filled pockets between the teeth and gums, and in some cases bone loss.
Gum Disease Therapy
Periodontal treatment methods depend upon the type and severity of the disease. Our dentists at Bay Dental Group in Sault Ste. Marie will work with you to create a treatment plan based on your particular case.
After your periodontal treatment has been completed, our dental team will recommend that you have dental examinations and preventive therapy, approximately four times a year.
- Preventive Gum Therapy
If the gum disease is caught in the early stages, preventive therapy will be recommended.
Regular hygiene cleanings and exams are important for maintaining the health of your gums. By practicing good oral hygiene at home and eating a balanced diet, you can also significantly reduce your chances of ever getting gum disease.
- Non-Surgical Gum Therapy
For patients with mild gum disease, a deep cleaning performed by a dental hygienist may be enough to reverse it.
Your hygienist will gently scrape away the plaque and tartar around and below the gum line, and smooth out any rough areas left behind using a process called scaling and root planing.
- Surgical Gum Therapy
For patients with severe gum disease, more invasive surgical treatments may be necessary to reverse the condition.
There are a number of different surgical gum therapy options available including as gum grafting and bone grafting.
Cosmetic Gum Therapy
If you feel that your gums rest too low or too high on your teeth and you are unhappy with your smile, you may be a candidate for gum grafting surgery. This cosmetic dental procedure can help to even out an uneven gum line and reduce the perceived length of the teeth to give you a smile you feel confident showing off.
Placing Dental Implants
Periodontics also includes the placement of dental implants beneath the gum line as part of the process to replace missing teeth. Once a dental implant is placed, the gums have healed, and a tooth replacement is added, this procedure can provide a number of oral health benefits.