Facts About Periodontal Disease and Why Dental Checkups Are a Must

Gum or periodontal disease is one of the most common reasons for tooth loss among adults in Canada. All forms of this disease begin with a condition called gingivitis, characterized by reddening and bleeding of the gums when brushing. Anyone may experience gum disease at any time, but its symptoms are usually not evident and it develops without pain. Some people only discover that they have the condition when they are already suffering from severe bone loss or one of their teeth falls off. Despite the sneaky development of periodontal disease, residents around Guelph can prevent this oral problem through proper oral hygiene and regular dental checkups.

Symptoms

When the gums are prone to bleeding when touched, and the bone supporting the tooth has been greatly reduced, these are common signs of periodontitis. The disease doesn’t actually attack the gums alone. It also damages the attachment between the teeth and the gum, eventually causing tooth loss.

Causes

As with most oral problems, the formation of plaque in the teeth is the main cause of periodontitis. Plaque is a sticky substance filled with germs, which forms in areas around the teeth, and between the teeth and gums. Without proper brushing and flossing, plaque will accumulate and harden into a crust called tartar.

Since tartar can no longer be removed with regular brushing, it can cause teeth/gum infection or gingivitis, which will slowly affect the gum tissue in the area that connects the teeth to the gums until it breaks down and progresses into periodontitis. When this problem goes untreated, tooth loss will be the end result of continuous bone loss and gum irritation.

Treatment

An examination will initially be given to see if your conditions require a surgical procedure, such as a dental implant, and if your bone structure can support it. This may involve X-rays and computer tomography (CT) scans to determine if you have enough bone structure that will hold the implant and where it can be placed.

The implant is an artificial tooth root that consists of a titanium screw and a crown on top. The entire procedure is more complex, though, and only patients with healthy jaw bones are qualified for the treatment.

After putting the titanium device, the patient will be given up to six months to heal, to enable the process of osseointegration, or the full integration of the implant material and the surrounding bone structure. The surgery is completed by installing a permanent crown on top of the implant. Lost dentition can also be replaced with dental implants.

If you live near Guelph, have your dental implants done by an experienced dentist, such as those in Woolwich Dental Group, to achieve quality results.

  Sources: Gum Disease. Cda-adc.ca What is a dental implant? Osseo.org