Top-Tier Periodontist in North Atlanta, GA

Having a healthy, beautiful smile involves more than perfect teeth. It also concerns the health of your gums. Gum disease is a serious risk to oral health, and it usually occurs from a lack of quality dental hygiene.

There are treatments available to reduce the risk of gum disease, but the consequences of neglected gum disease can be severe. As a periodontist in Georgia, North Atlanta Family Dentistry has the skills and tools to help patients experiencing the effects of periodontal disease. Our team offers exceptional periodontal care in Georgia to restore our patients’ oral health after coping with severe gum issues.

How Gum Disease Develops

Plaque is the leading cause of gum disease. It’s a film that covers the surface of teeth and consists mainly of bacteria. Unless you brush and floss regularly and attending biannual teeth cleaning appointments, the plaque can harden into tartar, which requires professional removal.

Gum disease occurs in three stages. The first is gingivitis, which causes the gums to swell from plaque irritation.

Periodontitis is the second stage of gum disease. At this point, the soft tissues, bones, and fibers supporting teeth become damaged. People with periodontitis usually experience some soreness in their gums or have loose teeth.

The final stage is advanced periodontitis, and it is the most severe form of gum disease. At this point, the periodontal tissues have severe damage, causing patients to lose teeth. They may also have visible gum damage and consistent pain.

Signs of Periodontal Disease

The earliest form of gum disease doesn’t always create noticeable symptoms, so people may not realize they have a dental issue unless they visit a periodontist in Georgia. During routine examinations, the dentist can identify early signs of periodontal disease that you may overlook.

Some of the signs of progressing gum disease include:

• Mouth soreness
• Periodontal tissues with redness or inflammation
• Blood present with brush or flossing
• Constant bad breath
• Gumline receding from teeth

Periodontal Disease Treatment

If you have some of the symptoms of gum disease or periodontitis, the North Atlanta Family Dentistry team can thoroughly examine your mouth and implement the appropriate treatment. Our goal is to prevent the condition from progressing and improve your oral health.

Scaling and Root Planing

Scaling and root planing are among the most common treatments for gum disease because they can stop its progression. It is a form of deep cleaning for gums and teeth around the gumline. Using manual tools and sonic equipment, we can remove plaque, tartar, bacteria, and other debris from the surface of your teeth and right below your gumline.

Because plaque and tartar are the primary causes of gum disease, a deep cleaning is one of the best ways to stop gum disease in its early stages. After performing scaling and root planing, our dentists provide patients with an antibacterial rinse to eliminate any remaining bacteria.

Pocket Reduction Surgery

Progressive gum disease sometimes causes periodontal pockets to deepen. In this case, scaling and root planing aren’t as effective because the tools are for the gumline.

To clean teeth beneath the gums, we perform pocket reduction surgery. We make an incision into the periodontal tissue to access the tooth and remove tartar and debris. The gum tissue will reattach to a clean root, making it easier to keep your teeth clean above the gumline.

Crown Lengthening

Sometimes, the gums will have a more prominent presence in the mouth. People with excess gum tissue sometimes feel insecure about their smiles because the extra tissue gives teeth a shorter appearance. Unfortunately, the tissues increase the risk of gum disease.

To relieve this issue, we perform crown lengthening procedures using a dental laser to remove the excess gum tissue carefully. The final result is an enhanced smile and improved oral health.

Dental Implants

In cases of severe gum disease, tooth loss is a possibility. Losing a tooth affects your smile and impacts your ability to bite, chew, and speak. Missing teeth can cause neighboring teeth to shift out of place, and you may have bone loss without a root to stimulate jawbone growth.

Dental implants are an effective solution to missing teeth. We surgically implant tiny titanium posts into the jaw where teeth are missing. After the bone fuses to the posts, we install artificial teeth to the implants.

If you’re experiencing the effects of periodontal disease, you need the expert care of a skilled periodontist in Georgia. Call North Atlanta Family Dentistry today at (470) 387-0500 to schedule an appointment.