What is periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease (also known as "periodontal infection", "gum
disease" or "pyorrhea") is an ongoing infection
in the gums around your teeth. The cause of periodontal disease
is infectious bacteria, which gets deep into your gums and causes
inflammation.
This inflammation destroys the bone that supports your teeth. If
left untreated, it leads to tooth loss. For more information, see
the section entitled Periodontal Disease.
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What are the symptoms of periodontal disease?
Because periodontal infection grows under your gums, you can have no
symptoms at all. Patients with more advanced periodontal
disease may experience some of the following symptoms:
- Red, swollen or tender gums.
- Tooth sensitivity to heat/cold
- Bad breath
- Deep pockets around the teeth
- Spaces between the teeth
- Loose or shifting teeth
- Missing teeth
- Gums receding around the teeth (longer looking teeth)
For more information see the section entitled Periodontal Disease.
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Why is my dentist sending me to a periodontist?
Periodontists have advanced training in the treatment of periodontal
disease and placement of dental implants.
Patients with periodontal infection have lower resistance to
periodontal bacteria. This causes a continuing gum infection that
can grow in bursts of activity. When your infection has a "burst" of
growth, or when there are signs that this is may occur, periodontal
treatment may be recommended. Some factors that can cause a dramatic
speed-up of your periodontal inflammation are:
- Poor oral hygiene
- Dental plaque
- Smoking
- Genetic factors
- Stress
- Diet
- Age
- Illness
Two other important factors are:
- Lack of regular dental checkups.
- Lack of regular dental cleanings.
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How is periodontal disease treated?
Periodontal disease is an infection in the gums and jawbone. The
goal of treatment is to remove this infection and prevent it from
coming back. After your initial examination, we will completely explain
your different options for treatment. For more information see the
section entitled Procedures.
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Does periodontal treatment hurt?
One of our primary concerns is that you have a comfortable experience
during treatment. Towards this end, we offer an extensive array of
the latest techniques to minimize discomfort. Many of our patients
come back stating they are amazed at how little discomfort they experienced.
For more information on the patient comfort techniques we use,
see the section entitled Procedures.
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What is going to happen on my first visit?
On your first visit to our office, you will receive a periodontal
examination. You should experience little, if any, discomfort during
this examination. If necessary, x-rays will be taken to further evaluate
any loss of bone around your teeth.
Afterwards, your findings and options for treatment will be thoroughly
explained. At that time the doctor will answer any questions you
may have.
Our goal is that you leave with a complete understanding of your
condition and the treatment needed to restore you to optimum oral
health.
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How much will treatment cost and will
my insurance cover it?
Everyone deserves to keep their natural teeth for a lifetime. While
periodontal treatment is not as costly as replacing natural teeth
due to tooth loss, its cost can vary greatly depending upon your
needs.
If you have dental insurance, this may provide full or partial
coverage. Our office will contact your insurance company to learn
what they will cover.
We feel that finances should never be an obstacle to treatment.
For your convenience, we offer several payment options. We also have
payment plans to suit your individual needs. Our insurance coordinator
will be happy to answer any of your financial or insurance questions.
For more information see our Financial
Policies or contact our
insurance coordinator Leanne at (563) 359-0113.
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Why must I start treatment right away?
Periodontal infection grows in "bursts of activity".
It is likely that you have been referred to us because your general
dentist has noticed an increase in infection activity.
Periodontal infection eats away at the bone that supports your
teeth (leading to tooth loss). If not treated, there can be a number
of consequences. For more information please see the section entitled
Periodontal Disease.
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What are the medical consequences, if I delay treatment?
Periodontal disease is an ongoing infection which becomes inflamed.
When this inflammation gets into the bone around your teeth, it then
enters your blood stream. From there it travels to other parts of
the body and contributes to many medical problems.
Recent research has found that patients with periodontal inflammation
are more than twice as likely to have heart disease and stroke.
To learn more about the medical consequences of periodontal inflammation,
please see the article called “Medical
Consequences” in
the section entitled Procedures.
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How is my general dentist important to my periodontal care?
Your general dentist knows your entire dental history, the condition
of your teeth, and your future dental needs. He is in charge of your
overall dental care. We work closely with him or her to ensure you
will receive the best possible dental care.
In many cases, your general dentist may do your preliminary periodontal
treatment and a portion of your periodontal maintenance afterwards.
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Do you use the latest equipment and techniques?
We keep ourselves up to date regarding equipment and periodontal
procedures. You can rest assured you will receive state-of-the-art
care in our office.
Regarding sterilization, we believe that all procedures should
be safe as well as comfortable. We use only the latest sterilization
techniques. For more information on treatment techniques and sterilization
see the section entitled Procedures.
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What other treatments do you provide?
Besides periodontal treatment and dental implants, we can perform
a number of procedures, including:
- Crown Lengthening
- Bone Grafting
- Antibiotic Treatment
For more information on these procedures,
please see the section entitled Procedures.
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