Your gums play an important role in your smile. They help you look your best, protect your tooth roots from dental caries and prevent oral bacteria from creating general health problems. With this in mind, it is important that you call Two Rivers Dentistry at 360-256-1202 for an appointment with Dr. Vaughn Teuscher if you suspect you are dealing with gum disease. Our dentist can tell you more about our periodontal treatments in Vancouver, Washington.
Periodontal disease means you have a bacterial infection that destroys the supporting bones and attachment fibers in the mouth. A build-up of plaque and tartar are the primary causes of periodontal disease. Plaque is a sticky, colorless substance that forms on the teeth due to food choices and oral hygiene habits. Tartar is hard mineral deposits on the teeth.
Periodontics is a dental specialty that focuses on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease. Dentists with this training also place dental implants. Our dentist can offer a range of surgical and nonsurgical periodontal services to help you achieve the best possible oral health. Some of these procedures also provide a cosmetic enhancement.
Treatment of Severe Gum Disease
The dental team at Two Rivers Dentistry uses root planing and scaling to eliminate the effects of severe gum disease and prevent similar problems in the future. We also refer to this process as deep cleaning. During the session, one of our hygienists uses intensive cleaning methods to remove the plaque and tartar from your teeth. Our dentist will complete the root planing by breaking up and removing small pockets on your gumline. We normally complete one half of either the upper or lower jaw at a time.
Dental Implants
We may recommend dental implants if you are missing some or all of your natural teeth. They offer many benefits over traditional dentures, including:
- Dental implants are permanent and nonremovable
- They do not require special cleaning
- You can eat nearly any food
- They do not affect your speech
- Dental implants will not fall out when you laugh, sneeze, yawn or bite into food
- Placing an implant gives your new tooth roots that prevent other teeth from moving into the open positions
When you decide to get dental implants, our dentist will first place the artificial roots, called posts. The next step is to take impressions and send them to our dental laboratory for our technicians to create your replacement teeth. You may need to wait several weeks to months for your gums and jaws to heal before our dentist and team attach your new teeth to the implants. This gives the new roots time to fuse to the existing bone. We will provide you with temporary dentures in the meantime.
Other Periodontal Services
We may also be able to offer you other periodontal services to improve your oral health and enhance your appearance. The two most popular procedures are a gum graft to cover exposed root surfaces and crown lengthening surgery to reduce the appearance of a gummy smile. We are happy to discuss your options further during a personal consultation.