Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is much more common than we think, affecting approximately 75% of American adults. This chronic inflammation affects your teeth, jawbone, and gums, progressively harming the support structures of your teeth. Symptoms of periodontal disease include swollen and bleeding gums, receding gums, and sometimes even loose teeth! If left untreated, gum disease can lead to tooth loss, chronic bad breath, and contribute to greater health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and strokes.
While gum disease may not be entirely preventable, it can be effectively managed with proper dental hygiene. Routine professional cleanings and periodontal care, in general, can make the difference between a healthy, functional smile and severe symptoms. At Poulos, Somers & Marshall in Denver, CO, we provide comprehensive periodontal care to help our patients maintain healthy gums, with personalized treatment plans and sustainable solutions catered to you.
Our expert periodontists at Poulos, Somers & Marshall offer specialized periodontal care in Denver, focusing on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease. Periodontists undergo extensive training, including three additional years of education beyond dental school, to become experts in this field. We're passionate about people and keep up to date on the latest techniques and dental technology to ensure only the best for our patients. Diagnosing periodontal disease is just the first step toward better oral hygiene. Your journey toward worry-free oral health has lead you to periodontists that care. If you're feeling unsure about whether you may be suffering from periodontal disease, or just looking to enhance your smile, our nationally recognized periodontists can provide the specialized care you need!
We offer a wide range of periodontal treatments in Denver, including minimally invasive options like pinhole surgical technique, LANAP laser therapy, and OralDNA testing to diagnose and treat periodontal issues. We also offer gingival grafting to address receding gums and restore your smile's health and appearance to have you looking and feeling your best. Contact us today to learn more about our periodontal treatment options in Denver.
If you have a receding gum line due to periodontal disease, we offer periodontal plastic surgery, including gingival grafting, to improve your smile's health and aesthetics. A soft tissue graft procedure can prevent further recession and bone loss by regenerating gum tissue where it's been lost. During this procedure, our specialists will carefully take a small piece of gum tissue from your palate or another donor source to cover the exposed root. This proven grafting method provides patients with effective treatment and minimal discomfort.
LANAP (Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure) laser therapy allows us to treat your periodontal disease less invasively using state-of-the-art technology. Lasers help preserve gum tissue during treatment and can lead to a faster recovery! Like other periodontal therapies, LANAP aims to reverse some of the effects of gum disease and help you maintain a healthy mouth. Paired with routine professional cleanings, you can expect results that will leave you smiling.
To ensure the most effective treatment, we utilize OralDNA salivary diagnostics to determine your risk for periodontal disease and identify the cause of infection.
These non-invasive tests provide our Denver periodontists with detailed information and support a tailored treatment plan that meets your specific needs.
Periodontal regenerative therapy is an innovative solution for periodontal treatment and care. This procedure focuses on regenerating lost or injured tissue to restore the form and function of the affected structures. By utilizing your own cells to restore tissue, we can promote faster healing and achieve more predictable results.
Periodontal disease is primarily caused by poor oral hygiene, though many smaller factors could also contribute to it. When you neglect to brush and floss regularly or don't clean those hard-to-reach places, pieces of food may sit out of sight, allowing bacteria to thrive and form plaque. These bacteria convert sugars into acids, leading to acid attacks that damage your tooth enamel. Without treatment and regular cleanings, plaque hardens into tartar, causing gum inflammation and even infection.
The initial stage of gum disease is gingivitis. If left untreated, gingivitis progresses into periodontitis, leading to more severe problems. As your gums become inflamed, they recede, forming deeper gum pockets and the damage to your gums and bone tissue becomes irreversible. These pockets trap food particles and bacteria, creating a cycle of ongoing inflammation and deeper pockets, making them harder to clean.
We determine the stage of gum disease by measuring the depth of your gum pockets. Healthy gum pockets are typically no more than 3mm deep. A depth greater than 3mm suggests gingivitis, while a depth of 4 mm or greater indicates periodontitis.
Technically, gum recession is permanent, meaning lost gum tissue cannot grow back naturally. However, treatments like deep cleanings (scaling and root planing) can remove plaque and tartar buildup, smoothing out the tooth roots to allow for gum reattachment. For severe gum recession, gum grafts can replace and regenerate lost gum tissue, restoring your gum health and your smile.
If you experience any of these symptoms, contact Poulos, Somers & Marshall today to schedule a consultation for periodontal care in Denver, CO.
