Gum Disease Treatment – Alice, TX
Protect Your Gums and Your Smile
The gums, ligaments, and bone tissue form the foundation for one's teeth. All structures are also referred to as the periodontium. When the periodontium is not healthy, it jeopardizes the teeth just as a bad foundation would threaten the stability of a house. Signs of unhealthy periodontium include gums that are red and bleed easily, persistent bad breath, gums that are pulled away from the tooth, loose teeth, and changes in the position or bite of the teeth. Any of these may be a sign of a problem. With proper gum treatments, however, it may be possible to return gum tissue to a healthy state. If you're having a problem, come in and see us, so we may treat it right away. The treatment usually involves a deep cleaning or root planing done under a local anesthetic, along with local antibiotic agents. If the gum disease gets too severe, it may need to be treated through surgery or extraction. This is why it is important to have it treated at the first sign of a problem. Keep reading to learn more about your options for gum disease treatment in Alice, TX.
Why Choose Advanced Dental Care of South Texas for Gum Disease Treatment?
- State-of-the-Art Dental Facility
- Gentle, Thorough Deep Cleanings
- Team Equipped to Ease Anxiety
Scaling & Root Planing
To keep gum disease from spreading further, we need to remove any plaque and tartar that has accumulated beneath your gums. To do this, we perform a deep cleaning process called scaling and root planing. Scaling is the step when plaque and tartar are actually removed. Meanwhile, root planing is done to smooth out the roots of the teeth. Bacteria have a harder time clinging to smooth surfaces, so this step is important for helping the teeth safely reattach to the gums.
Periodontal Maintenance
Gum disease can’t be cured with a single treatment. It’s a condition that needs to be treated regularly so that it doesn’t have a chance to grow worse. As such, regular dental cleanings every six months will no longer be enough; you’ll need to start visiting our dental office every three to four months for periodontal maintenance. During these visits, we’ll perform scaling and root planing, and we’ll keep an eye on the depth of the pockets in your gums.
Biofilm Therapy
Biofilm Therapy represents a big leap forward in the world of professional dental hygiene services! Not only can this service be used for prevention, but it may also help to get rid of active infections and allow you to find freedom from gum disease. It uses a combination of a disclosing agent and airflow technology (air polishing) to get rid of as much bacteria-filled biofilm (plaque) as possible. Continue reading below to learn more about this remarkable technique.
How Does Biofilm Therapy Work?
After we evaluate your mouth, the Biofilm Therapy process involves several steps:
- Disclosing agent: We will apply a special dye, called a plaque disclosing solution, to your teeth. This will highlight areas where biofilm and plaque have accumulated. It will also indicate how long it has been present so we can focus our efforts on removing it. We will let you see where the dye collects so you can understand your problem areas.
- Air polishing: We have a special device that sprays a combination of water, air, and anti-bacterial fine particles to remove biofilm from your teeth. Air polishing is surprisingly gentle, so you do not have to worry about it damaging your teeth or gum tissue.
- Scaling: An ultrasonic device can remove any stubborn deposits that are left behind after air polishing. We focus on areas both above the gumline and in any periodontal pockets that have developed between your teeth and gums.
How Biofilm Therapy Helps with Gum Disease
Biofilm Therapy can be used as a preventive measure during routine cleanings to help you understand where plaque accumulates and allows our team to clean your mouth as thoroughly as possible. However, it can also play a big role in managing active gum disease.
By getting rid of bacteria-filled biofilm and plaque, it can reduce the inflammation that is a hallmark of gum disease. Along with other therapies, such as scaling and root planing, it may help to completely reverse gingivitis (the early stage of gum disease). After your gum disease is under control, periodic Biofilm Therapy sessions may help to prevent flare-ups.
The Benefits of Biofilm Therapy
Some of the top benefits of Biofilm Therapy for gum disease include:
- Gentle, thorough cleaning: Biofilm Therapy removes harmful biofilm efficiently while being comfortable on the teeth and gums. The experience can be easy even for individuals with sensitive oral tissues.
- Targets inflammation: By reducing bacteria, Biofilm Therapy can help calm swollen, bleeding gum tissue. Not only can this help your mouth feel better, but it can also improve the aesthetics of your smile.
- Supports gum disease treatment: Biofilm Therapy works well alongside scaling and root planing to manage active periodontal problems.
- Improves patient awareness: The disclosing dye helps you see where plaque builds up most, how long it has been present in an area, and if the plaque is producing acid that leads to cavities. Our team can coach you on how to adjust your oral hygiene routine to minimize future buildup.
- Efficient and effective: Because we can focus on areas where the most bacteria have accumulated, Biofilm Therapy can majorly contribute to treatment that is both efficient and thorough.