Preventing Gum Disease

gum disease prevention
Given the lack of noticeable symptoms during the initial stages, gum disease can be difficult to recognize before the dentition has already suffered irreparable damage. While highly preventable, many patients tend to develop gingivitis without realizing that their oral health is at risk of extensive damage.

Recognizing Gum Disease
Being able to recognize changes in your smile as well as the onset of symptoms can help individuals seek care for gum disease before their smiles have progressed to more advanced stages of the condition. Some symptoms to look for include: 
  • Sensitive, bleeding gums
  • Gums that recede from your teeth
  •  Bad breath
  • Loose teeth

Additionally, some patients may be at greater risk of developing gum disease due to certain behaviors, preexisting conditions, and other factors. For these individuals, integrating effective oral health care is especially important in order to minimize the risk of developing gum disease.

Helpful Tips for a Healthy Mouth
Preventing gum disease starts with a comprehensive at-home dental hygiene routine. Be sure to brush and floss at least twice a day, and rinse your mouth after eating sugary or sticky foods.

It is also very important to schedule regular dental visits, and avoid risk factors such as tobacco products and excessive amounts of sugary foods or alcohol. Individuals should also stick to a healthy, balanced diet, and keep an eye on your dental health so that you can catch or prevent gum disease in its earliest stages.  

How to Treat Gum Disease
For patients that have already developed gum disease, seeking dental care can help prevent more extensive damage to your dentition. There are many treatment methods available, ranging from nonsurgical therapies to surgery in more serious cases of gum disease. A professional, dental deep cleaning, or scaling and root planing, can scrape away the tartar and plaque that causes gum disease, thereby giving you a fresh start. After this deep cleaning, it is recommended the patient get a professional dental cleaning twice a year, every year.

Save Your Smile - Make an Appointment Today!
The first step to protecting your smile from gum disease is a visit to your dentist. CallLight Dental Studios - University Place today to make an appointment or schedule a dental cleaning. Our University Place dentists will ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy and provide helpful tips for maintaining a healthy smile between dental appointments.


Knowing Your Implant Options

Cosmetic Dentistry
After deciding that dental implants are the best option for replacing missing or severely damaged teeth, the next step is to determine which type of implant and implant restoration best suits your immediate and long term needs. Given the versatility of this restorative treatment, dental implants can be used in a variety of capacities. Variations of implant-based restoration include:

Single Tooth Restorations: Consisting of a post, abutment, and single crown restoration, this type of dental implant is often recommended for the replacement of a single tooth. If the tooth is surrounded by healthy teeth, single implants provide an independent restoration that does not compromise healthy neighboring teeth.

Multi-Tooth Restorations: For patients requiring multiple tooth replacement, dental implants can also be used to support more extensive prostheses. In cases of multiple tooth restoration, more than one implant post may be used to support larger restorations. The length of these restorations varies based on the patient’s tooth replacement needs and can range from a three tooth bridge up to total arch replacement.

Implant-Supported Dentures: Similar to multiple tooth restoration, implant-supported dentures are recommended for individuals that are missing the majority of their teeth in the arch yet have sufficient jaw bone density to support the implant posts. However, implant-supported dentures feature a removable overdenture that can be taken out each day for cleaning. 

Hybrid Dentures: While often confused with implant-supported dentures and multi-tooth restorations, hybrid dentures offer a unique implant-based solution to tooth loss. Rather than using a removable overdenture to replace missing teeth, the hybrid denture prosthetic replaces only the teeth and gum line. 

As a result, patients considering this treatment must have healthy gums and sufficient jaw bone density in order to be eligible for this restorative treatment. Since hybrid dentures are fixed to the dentition, patients do not need to worry about taking out their restoration for cleaning. By visiting the dentist biannually for routine cleanings, patients with hybrid dentures can maintain their oral health and ensure uninterrupted dental function. 

Dental Implants at Light Dental Studios
In the long run, dental implants offer patients a long lasting solution to tooth replacement. As part of the larger Light Dental Studios family, our University Place patients are encouraged to visit our Puyallup or Lakewood dental practice for dental implant treatment. For more information about regaining dental function with dental implants or implant-supported restorations, contact Light Dental Studios today.