If your gum disease progresses to the next step, it will cause periodontitis. At this stage, gum irritation has spread beneath the gum and reach bone. If it’s allowed to affect the bone over time, it can actually dissolve the bone and leave empty pockets around the teeth. We use a periodontal probe to measure the pocket depth and see how serious it has gotten. The deeper the pocket, the more bacteria has been allowed to grow and persist. The pockets cause a self-sustaining cycle, where they trap more bacteria, and the extra bacteria make the pockets worse. Once the pockets get deep enough, they will loosen around the tooth and the tooth will either fall out or need to be extracted due to bone loss.

To keep this from happening to you, ask our periodontists for help at Metro Dental Specialists. Our periodontists use expertise to stop the profession of gum disease through periodontal techniques and recommending at-home care regimens for you to follow. If the problem gets serious enough, we can assist in setting up a periodontal surgery to address the problem. This could include things like deep pocket cleaning, flap procedures, as well as bone and soft tissue grafting. The best way to fight progressing periodontal disease is with our experts.

The first clue of gum disease may be bleeding when brushing or flossing. This inflammation is known as gingivitis. Gingivitis can clear up with a thorough cleaning by our team along with some home care.

Our periodontists here at Metro Dental Specialists treat gum disease and bone loss through a carefully crafted treatment plan consisting of deep pocket cleaning, flap procedures, bone, and soft tissue grafting, and placing implants to restore missing teeth.