Periodontic Dentistry

Periodontic dentistry focuses on maintaining the health of a patient's gums. Our Walnut dentist works with the patient to develop an oral hygiene program to prevent gum disease, and performs non-surgical and surgical techniques to treat it.

Gingivitis
Gingivitis is a mild type of periodontal disease that makes the gums swell and bleed. The cause of gingivitis is usually poor oral hygiene that permits plaque, a sticky bacterial film that attaches to teeth, to flourish. When a person doesn't remove the plaque from their teeth within two to three days, tartar, the hardened form of plaque, develops. Both plaque and tartar irritate the gums causing the swelling and bleeding associated with gingivitis. If gingivitis isn't treated, it leads to periodontitis, the more serious form of gum disease. Our dentist in Walnut will treat gingivitis by establishing a dental hygiene plan to prevent the condition, performing a dental cleaning and using restorative dentistry if any teeth suffer damage from gingivitis.

Gum disease is caused by lack of oral hygiene and accumulation of the bacteria. Before it has turned into more serious forms of periodontal disease, contact our Walnut periodontist for treatments.

Walnut Periodontist

Periodontitis
Periodontitis is the serious form of periodontal disease that results from untreated gingivitis. If left untreated, periodontitis may lead to tooth loss and an increased risk for certain health conditions such as a stroke or heart attack. Plaque and tartar cause this condition when a person leaves them on the teeth for two or more days. The inflamed gums begin to separate from the teeth and form pockets. Plaque, tartar and bacteria grow in these pockets, eventually causing bone loss, loosening of the teeth and tooth loss. Dental hygiene and professional cleanings effectively prevent periodontitis. Surgical options our Walnut periodontist uses include flap surgery, a treatment that involves lifting the pockets and moving them back to clean the area of all tartar and bacteria. Soft tissue grafts aim to replace any tissue removed during surgery that diminishes the appearance of a patient's smile. Bone grafting can replace bone loss around the root of the tooth, either through the use of an artificial material of a small amount of bone in the area of the graft. If necessary, our periodontist in Walnut can obtain the bone from a different area of the patient's body, such as the hip.

Periodontitis is the full-blown form of gum disease that increases the risk of tooth loss as well as heart attack, stroke and other diseases. Our periodontist in Walnut also has treatment options for stopping this disease.