Early Detection of Gum Disease

As with most diseases, early detection of dental ailments is critical to your health. Gum diseases can create a myriad of problems that not only jeopardize your smile and chewing comfort, but could lead to heart problems as well. Many of these diseases may not be visibly detectable or recognized through pain until they reach advanced stages. Consequently, our practice includes a number of screening measures that will detect both periodontal and oral cancer.

Smiles by Design is well trained in the screening and treatment of periodontal diseases.  These infections of the gums, which  are normally caused by bacteria found in dental plaque, can severely harm the support of your natural teeth. An early stage of the disease, known as gingivitis, creates bacterial infections that eventually cause the gums to separate from the teeth, thereby creating even greater opportunities for infection and decay. If it goes untreated, more serious problems such as abscesses, bone loss or periodontitis can occur.  The latter is is treated in a number of ways. One method, called root planing, involves cleaning and scraping below the gum line to smooth the roots. If effective, this procedure helps the gums reattach themselves to the tooth structure.