From Gum Tenderness to Healthy Smiles
Periodontal disease is a chronic, progressive inflammatory condition that can eat away at the supporting structures that keep your teeth firmly in place. As it progresses, eating comfortably can become impossible, and you may struggle with bad breath and a persistent taste in your mouth.
At its worst, periodontal disease can cause complete tooth loss and even severe health problems in other areas of your body. At St. Marks Painless Dental, your health is our priority. With comprehensive gum disease treatments in Brooklyn, NY, we can protect your gum health and well-being so you can live life to the fullest with a strong, healthy smile!
Patient Testimonials
What Are the Warning Signs of Periodontitis?
- Bleeding, tender, or swollen gums
- Chronic bad breath
- Receding gums and tooth sensitivity
- Visible pus caused by a periodontal abscess
- Shifting or loose teeth
Expert Care for Healthy Gums and a Lasting Smile
Gum disease can sometimes fly under the radar for a long time before you start noticing its effects, but irreversible damage may have already happened by then. That’s why regular preventive dentistry is essential to maintaining good oral health throughout your life. Our St. Marks Painless Dental team specializes in treating all stages of periodontal disease in Brooklyn, NY, including complex cases. If left untreated, periodontal disease can lead to serious oral health issues such as tooth loss and bone damage.
We are committed to helping you overcome gum disease and improve your quality of life through effective, targeted treatment. With our expertise and focus on preventive care, we are dedicated to helping you achieve healthy gums and a beautiful smile that lasts years. We believe financial concerns shouldn’t prevent anyone from receiving timely gum disease treatment, so we offer competitive pricing and third-party financing options to ensure a healthy, beautiful smile is not only possible for everyone but affordable!
Effective Treatments for Active Gum Disease
If you’ve had periodontitis before, you’re at higher risk for developing gum disease again. Ongoing periodontal maintenance to remove any bacterial buildup from around and under your gums is the best way to protect your oral health over the long term.
Periodontal maintenance appointments differ from routine cleanings in a few ways, such as re-evaluating your gum attachment more frequently to monitor your disease status. You may need periodontal maintenance appointments every three to four months rather than the standard six-month timeframe for routine cleanings.
Scaling and root planing, sometimes called “deep cleaning,” is often the first step toward resolving your periodontal disease. It involves completely removing all hard deposits and bacterial biofilm (plaque) from the pocket where the gums lay over the tooth roots. We may recommend numbing the gums and working in sections to ensure your comfort as we work deep below the tissue.
The bone tissue may sometimes shrink under the gum tissue even though the gums maintain their position. This creates traps where your toothbrush and floss cannot cleanse bacteria, leading to gum infections, untreatable cavities, and run-away inflammation.
Crown lengthening involves adjusting the gum tissue to expose more of the tooth structure. We sometimes do this to treat tooth decay below the gum line, expose a healthier tooth structure to place a crown or bridge, or make the teeth more cleansable and remove diseased tissue.
Gum recession happens when the gum line pulls away from the tooth, exposing the root. We may be able to stabilize your gums by thickening the attached gums at the base of your recession or even covering the roots again.
Gingival grafts involve harvesting healthy gum tissue from another area (usually the roof of the mouth) and positioning it over areas of recession.
Osseous surgery combines procedures to remove diseased gum tissue with procedures to reshape the bone and promote healthy bone growth. For example, we may recommend gum surgery with a bone graft to rebuild bone volume lost due to disease or injury. There are a few approaches to osseous surgery, but the goal is the same: eliminating disease and rebuilding stability.
Specialized bands of tissue called frena attach the lips and tongue to the bone structure of your jaws. If the frena are too tight or too short, they can pull on the gums and lead to periodontal issues, speech impediments, and functional limitations.
A frenectomy involves releasing over-tight tissue attachments, freeing the lips and tongue to move normally, and preventing further damage to the gums.
Many people experience an overgrowth of the gums due to orthodontic treatment, certain medications, or prolonged inflammation. If the gums cover too much of the tooth surface, it can create undesirable aesthetics (a “gummy” smile) and trap more bacteria and debris, leading to even more inflammation.
A gingivectomy is a procedure that involves carefully removing excess gum tissue and improving the contours of the gum line. This can be done as part of a cosmetic smile makeover or to eliminate plaque traps and reverse gingivitis.
Grinding, clenching, and biting disharmony can all cause damage to the teeth, gums, and jaw joints. If you suffer from symptoms of TMD, such as pain, clicking, tension, locking, or loss of function in the jaw joints, we may be able to help with comfortable and durable oral appliances for TMD in Brooklyn, NY.