Periodontal Gum Disease Treatment in Elizabeth, NJ

Finding affordable and convenient dental care can be hard in New Jersey. Oral hygiene directly impacts many facets of your life, including brain health, self-esteem, and even your relationship with food. Experiencing a painful gum disease such as periodontitis can feel embarrassing and lead to decreased social activity, depression, and anxiety. This can be made worse if you are unable to afford the proper surgery or care for your gum disease as well. 

At Elizabeth Oral Surgery Group in Elizabeth, our goal is to help you get back on track with your oral health and hygiene. Our talented and compassionate team wants you to feel confident when you smile or go out to eat, and our convenient financial options reflect exactly that. We are a treatment-focused group and want to help make your life better, happier, and healthier. 

What Is Periodontal Gum Disease? 

Periodontitis is the infection of the tissue that holds your teeth together, also known as your gums. As far as oral diseases go, periodontal gum disease is fairly common, with the CDC reporting almost 50% of adults over the age of 30 showing symptoms of it. Common symptoms can include: 

• Pain when you bite
• Softened or weakened gums 
• Bad breath that will not go away
• Sensitive teeth
• Swollen or bleeding gums that are pulled away from the teeth

Gum disease is also largely preventable. Keeping up with essential oral hygiene practices will keep periodontitis at bay. This includes brushing twice a day, flossing, getting regular checkups, and avoiding sugary drinks, like energy drinks or soda. 

Identifying Periodontal Gum Disease

If left untreated, periodontal gum disease can lead to serious medical issues. Tooth loss, damage to your jaw, and more serious infections can all be a result of periodontitis. It is vital that you reach out to a gum disease expert as soon as you start to notice any symptoms. 

Your dentist or surgeon will do a thorough inspection first to confirm you have the disease. This will include a look at the gums and teeth, as well as an x-ray and an inspection of the pocket depth of the groove between your teeth and gums. If the pocket depth is deeper than four millimeters, it can be an indication of periodontitis. A healthy gum normally has a pocket depth between one and three millimeters. 

How to Treat Periodontitis

Depending on the severity of the gum disease, your dentist may take two routes for treatment. These include the following: 

Nonsurgical 

For less severe cases, your doctor will not have to perform surgery. Instead, likely treatment routes will include a deep cleaning with professional instruments, oral or topical antibiotics, or scaling. Scaling is the removal of bacteria from beneath the surfaces of your gums, often with a laser. 

The nonsurgical route may require a couple of visits to get a thorough cleaning. It is expected you keep up with regular oral hygiene afterward to ensure the disease does not come back. 

Surgical 

For more serious cases, surgery is the only way to ensure the disease is fully removed. Examples of possible surgeries include: 

• Bone grafting: If the gum disease has destroyed the bones surrounding your tooth rote, a bone graft may be necessary to strengthen the integrity of your jaw. This will allow for the natural regrowth of any removed rot and help prevent future tooth loss. 

• Pocket reduction surgery: If your pocket depth is higher than the standard one to three millimeters, pocket reduction surgery may be necessary to restore the damage. This is also referred to as flap surgery. Your doctor will lift back sections of your gum to allow for a more effective scaling treatment. Once this surgery is concluded and your mouth has healed, it allows for a more in-depth cleaning. 

The specifics of your surgical procedure and treatment will be decided by your periodontal dentist. They will know the best route of care for your specific symptoms. 

Schedule Your Consultation With a Periodontal Dentist in Elizabeth, NJ Today

Dr. Nancy Herbst and the rest of the team at Elizabeth Oral Surgery Group have served the Elizabeth community for more than two decades now. We are here to provide nonjudgmental treatment for your periodontal gum disease and other oral surgery needs. We utilize maxillofacial care with the newest technology and treatments available to ensure our clients are receiving the best possible care available. 

We know how expensive oral surgery can be, and the last thing we want is for you to postpone your vital surgery or treatment because you cannot afford it. As part of our promise to be there for our clients through every aspect of their surgery, we will work with your insurance companies to try and get the most possible coverage. Our clients are our top priority. For a consultation to see how we can help you today, please give our office a call at (908) 774-8196. You can also fill out our online contact form for more information.