Periodontics West Windsor NJ | Dental Implants South Brunswick NJ

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Smiles Above the Rest

301 N Harrison St Suite F

Princeton , NJ

Periodontics

- Family Dentistry
- Multi-Specialty Practice
- All Procedures Done Under One Roof

Rely on Our Periodontist for Quality Dental Implants

A Periodontist is a dentist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease, and in the placement of dental implants. They are experts in the treatment of diseases of the gums, receiving three additional years of education beyond dental school.

Periodontal Treatments

Periodontists offer a wide range of both non-surgical and surgical treatments. If periodontal disease is caught early, the doctor may be able to reverse some or all of the damage with non-surgical treatments. If the disease is more advanced surgical procedures are often performed to return form and function. The ultimate goal of periodontal therapy is to promote healthy gums and teeth by stabilizing and maintaining your existing dentition.

Contact Princeton Dental Group to schedule your appointment.

Receive Proper Periodontal Treatment

The first stage of gum disease, gingivitis, is often accompanied by little or no discomfort. Sometimes, the only way to detect periodontal disease is through a comprehensive evaluation. Regular examinations are very important to keep track of the present status of your disease and any disease progression over time.

We will work with you to create a maintenance schedule depending on how advanced your periodontal disease is at the time. Based on many variable factors such as your overall health, the severity of bone loss and risk factors such as smoking and genetics, we will constantly tailor your care so your periodontal disease does not progress further.

Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment

The first line of defense against gum disease is a unique type of cleaning called “scaling and root planing.” In this procedure, an ultrasonic cleaning device is used to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth where regular cleaning devices can't reach: under the gum line, on the tooth, and around the root. Then, the rough surface of the tooth and the root are smoothed out (planed). This provides a healthy, clean surface that makes it easier for the gum tissue to reattach to the tooth.

If you address your gum disease before it becomes severe, scaling and root planing may be the only treatment you need. However, as with any dental procedure, after-care is vital. In order to keep your teeth in good shape and resist future occurrences of gum disease, you must brush and floss daily, eat a healthy diet, avoid tobacco use, and have regular dental checkups. Even after a successful scaling and root planing, if you don't attend to your teeth properly, it's quite likely that you'll develop gum disease again.

Surgical Periodontal Treatment Options

If the tissue or bone surrounding your teeth is too damaged to be repaired with non-surgical treatment, several surgical procedures are available to prevent severe damage and to restore a healthy smile. We will recommend the procedure that is best suited to the condition of your teeth and gums. Following is a list of common types of periodontal surgery:

Pocket Depth Reduction

In a healthy mouth, the teeth are firmly surrounded by gum tissue and securely supported by the bones of the jaw. Periodontal disease damages these tissues and bones, leaving open spaces around the teeth that we call pockets. The larger these pockets are, the easier it is for bacteria to collect inside them, leading to more and more damage over time. Eventually, the supportive structure degrades to the point that the tooth either falls out or needs to be removed.

During pocket reduction procedures (also known as “flap surgery”), we fold back the gum tissue and remove the bacteria hiding underneath, as well as the hardened plaque and tartar that have collected. We may also remove any tissue that is too damaged to survive. We then sew the healthy tissue back into place. Now that the tooth and root are free of bacteria, plaque, and tartar, and the pockets have been reduced, the gums can reattach to the teeth.

Regeneration

When the bone and tissue supporting the teeth have been lost due to severe gum disease, we can restore these areas with a regeneration procedure. During this process, we begin by folding back the gum tissue and removing the bacteria, plaque, and tartar. Depending on your situation, we may then perform a bone graft to stimulate new bone growth, or we may apply a special kind of protein that stimulates tissue growth to repair the areas that have been destroyed by the disease.

Soft-Tissue Graft

A frequent symptom of gum disease is gum recession (also called gingival recession). As the gums recede, more of the roots are revealed. This can make teeth appear longer and can also create sensitivity to hot or cold liquids or food. It also exposes the tooth to increased damage from gum disease, as bacteria, plaque, and tartar attack the surface of the tooth and the root.

During a soft-tissue graft, tissue from the top of your mouth or another source is sewed to the gum area, covering the roots and restoring the gum line to its original, healthy location. This procedure can also be performed for cosmetic reasons.

Schedule an appointment for proper periodontic care today!

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