Lincoln Dentist

Periodontics

Lincoln Nebraska Periodontics - Omaha Periodontist

in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska and surrounding communities

A periodontist treats gum disease. If you have been a bit careless with your dental hygiene for a while, you might do well to consult with an experienced dentist like Dr. Dodson in Lincoln, NE, who can deal effectively with periodontics and prevent it getting worse.

Gum disease establishes itself in a vicious cycle. How does this work?

  1. Bacteria are always in our mouths. When not cleared out on a daily basis, they multiply. They feed on the tiny remains of food on the teeth, and form larger colonies, excreting acidic toxins into the mouth.
  2. Bacteria and their excretions are known as plaque. When plaque is left long enough on the teeth it hardens into what is known as tartar, also called calculus. Now it can't be brushed or flossed away.
  3. Tartar has sharp little edges which irritate the gums as we continue to chew and swallow. The gums become inflamed and start to bleed.
  4. Now we have a case of gingivitis, which is early gum disease.
  5. If things continue this way with no dental intervention, bacteria and their toxins continue to multiply, inflammation increases, and the gums pull away from the teeth. This creates larger and larger pockets, or gaps between gum tissue and tooth surfaces. Bacteria now flourish below the gumline.
  6. Larger pockets provide more cozy space for more bacteria. Now we have a vicious cycle: bacteria multiply and create larger pockets, which allows for more bacteria to thrive and multiply, which enlarges the pockets even further.

Established, advanced gum disease is known as periodontitis. It will continue getting worse, causing teeth to loosen and fall out, allowing decay to spread into the jawbone itself, causing pain as tooth nerves are decayed and die. This is not a happy scenario!

Periodontal treatments

Dr. Dodson will first do a very thorough dental examination, to see exactly how far along the gum disease is. He will measure the periodontal pockets to see how deep they have become.

  • Root scaling and planing
    In the early stage of gingivitis, root scaling and planing can take care of things. This will remove the plaque and tartar not only from the teeth, but from their root surfaces below the gumline. Gum inflammation, redness and bleeding will then ease off.
  • Laser treatment
    Use of a soft-tissue dental laser can reach bacteria in deeper pockets. It vaporizes them, along with any diseased gum tissue, and prevents bleeding by cauterizing the tiny blood vessels. This is a gentle treatment, not painful at all.
  • Gum surgery
    In very advanced cases of gum disease, a surgical procedure may be required to remove diseased gum tissue and bone. This advanced infection is particularly dangerous, as it can spread into the circulatory system, and thus to other parts of the body. Surgery can clean out all the bacteria, toxins and debris in gums and bone, and use some bone grafting techniques to replace lost bone.

Cosmetic recovery

When the gum disease has been treated and eliminated, cosmetic work can restore lost beauty. Dr. Dodson can:

  • Recontour the gum line
  • Graft tissue to cover exposed tooth roots
  • Use porcelain crowns to give damaged teeth a new shape and surface
  • Replace lost teeth using dental implants
  • Use dental bonding to fill in small chips and gaps

Now you will have a whole new smile, and a new reason for smiling! If you maintain good daily dental hygiene, you can prevent future gum disease and keep your enhanced new smile for years to come.

Call or email us if you would like to set up a free periodontics consultation. Don't suffer from toothache, bleeding gums, swollen gums, and all those symptoms of gum disease. They can be successfully treated, and the sooner the better. Contact us today.

 

402.484.6666
Contact us

Adams Dental Center
8251 Northwoods Drive
Lincoln, NE 68505