How can we help you?
Educating our patients about the value of conscientious oral health care is one of our top priorities. When you're informed, it's easier to understand why you need a certain procedure and how it will benefit you.
We encourage and welcome all questions! It's essential for you to be involved with your own care, and your questions help us understand what your expectations are and what's important to you.
Here are a few frequently asked questions to get you started, but you may have others that you don't see listed. In this case, please call our Chattanooga dental office or fill out our handy online contact form.
Periodontal Treatment
I’m going to put this into words most people can understand and not in dental insurance speak. There are basically two types of patients that come to the office for cleanings ( the dental term for that is prophylaxis appointments. We in the biz call those prophy’s) A prophy is for your standard patient that has some build up on his/her teeth, but is generally healthy. In this patient, no bone loss is present, meaning the bone around each tooth is where it should be and the patient doesn’t have much root exposed. On the flip side of the coin, there are those patients who do have bone loss, creating a much deeper place to clean (Again, we in the biz call this a ‘pocket’) People with deep pockets in the presence of bone loss require scaling and root planning, insurance talk for ‘deep cleaning.’
Bleeding gums are not normal. Gums that bleed and are tender or swollen are almost always a sign that gum disease is present.
Gum disease, or periodontal disease, is an infection of your gums. It is caused by bacteria that are allowed to sit on your teeth. If you do not have routine professional dental cleanings, this can quickly become a big oral health problem.
If we do not treat gum disease when it first appears, it will get worse. Advanced gum disease will cause the bone that holds your teeth to start to break down. You may notice this is happening if you feel that your teeth are becoming loose. Without treatment, you may eventually lose the tooth.
Treatment for gum disease usually includes a deep cleaning. During this procedure, one of our hygienists gently cleans the areas underneath the gums. If your case is more severe, we will refer you to a specialist who has the necessary skill and training to deal with gum problems.
If you do not have symptoms, it does not mean you don’t have gum disease. People often have gum disease without any symptoms at all. That’s why it’s important to stay up to date with your exams and cleanings. If our hygienist does find signs of gum disease, she will treat it with a special deep cleaning treatment. Then she will discuss ways that you can keep your teeth healthy and free of disease.
With regular dental treatments and proper brushing and flossing, you can avoid gum disease altogether. Please call Clark Dental Studio to schedule your next professional cleaning.