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GUM DISEASE

IN WARREN, NJ

Did you know that the most common cause of tooth loss in adults is gum disease? According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every two adults over the age of 30 in the United States has periodontal disease. However, the good news is that periodontal disease is almost entirely preventable.

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At the office of The Star Dental Group in Warren, we offer a comprehensive range of services to help patients maintain optimal periodontal health and enjoy the benefits of a smile that look, feels, and functions at its best.

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What is Periodontal Disease (Gum Disease):

Periodontal disease, more commonly known as gum disease, is a set of inflammatory diseases that affect the "periodontium", which are the hard and soft tissues surrounding and supporting your teeth. Just like tooth decay, gum disease is attributed to the harmful bacteria in dental plaque and tartar that accumulate around the teeth and under the gums.

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Since the progression of periodontal disease is often painless, you may not even be aware of an ongoing disease process. For this very reason, it’s essential to practice good oral hygiene and schedule visits for regular checkups, professional cleanings, and routine care.

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Taking care of your smile includes being mindful of the signs and symptoms of gum disease.

 

Some indications that you may have periodontal disease include:

  • Inflamed and red gums

  • Bleeding when brushing or flossing

  • Receding gums and exposed tooth root surfaces

  • Sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures

  • Bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth

  • Teeth that feel loose

  • New spaces developing between the teeth or a change in the bite

  • Change in the fit of existing partial dentures

  • Discharge around the teeth and gums

  • Sharp or dull pain when biting down or chewing food

gum disease Warren Dentist

THE IMPORTANCE OF

GOOD ORAL HEALTH

Dentist in Warren, NJ

Taking care of your smile does more than keep your teeth and gums in optimal condition; good oral health also supports systemic health. In addition to being the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, researchers are finding more and more links between periodontal disease and a number of medical problems, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and respiratory problems.

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At the office of The Star Dental Group, we emphasize the importance of prevention, early detection, and timely treatment of periodontal disease. We provide patients the guidance, support, and care required to maintain optimal periodontal health.

gum disease dentist in Warren, NJ

WHAT IS GINGIVITIS?

Dentist in Warren, NJ

Gingivitis represents the initial stage of gum disease. Although it doesn’t cause overt discomfort and often goes unnoticed, there are specific signs to be aware of that indicate the start of a problem. If you notice your gums bleed when you brush, look red and inflamed, or feel a little tender, you more than likely have gingivitis.

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The good news is that by treating gingivitis early, the tissue damage associated with more advanced stages of gum disease can be avoided. Despite the presence of inflammation, the overall integrity of the periodontal tissues in this stage remains intact.

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Treatment instituted at this point is often sufficient to reverse the course of the disease and to avoid any permanent damage to the periodontal tissues. A series of deep dental cleanings, an improved home care regimen and a commitment to regular maintenance may be all that is required to prevent this stage of periodontal disease from progressing.

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WHAT IS PERIODONTITIS?

Dentist in Warren, NJ

When left untreated, a case of gingivitis develops into a more advanced and damaging stage of gum disease, known as periodontitis. At this point, the connective tissue and bone that hold the teeth in place begin to break down. With the progression of periodontal disease and periodontitis, more and more tissue loss ensues. Damage often includes an increase in pocketing between the teeth and bone, gum recession, and bone loss. As unresolved periodontitis goes from mild to moderate to severe, it increasingly compromises the soft and hard tissues supporting the teeth.  

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Periodontal treatment in this phase is designed to halt the progression of the disease and to restore tooth support as possible. Treatment may involve medications to control the bacteria and reduce the size of the pockets between the teeth and gums, gum surgery, as well as bone and tissue grafts.

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HOW IS GUM DISEASE TREATED

Dentist in Warren, NJ

The type of periodontal treatment you receive depends on several factors including the stage of periodontal disease, the extent of tissue damage, your overall oral health, existing medical conditions, and other considerations in care. After a thorough assessment of your case, we’ll discuss your options to reestablish and maintain optimal periodontal health. We welcome your questions and are always on hand to provide guidance and address your concerns.

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Periodontal treatment can be categorized in the following ways:

Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment

When periodontal disease is detected early in its onset, conservative or non-surgical methods of care combined with improved hygiene routines can restore periodontal health. While periodic, professional cleanings are sufficient to maintain periodontal health in patients that do not have gum disease, once gingivitis is present, deeper cleanings and possibly other non-surgical methods of care are recommended to treat the condition.

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The American Academy of Periodontology emphasizes achieving periodontal health by means of the least invasive and cost-effective treatment approaches to care. Deeper cleanings, which include Scaling and Root planing, are non-surgical procedures that are considered the first line of defense against the progression of periodontal disease.

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With scaling and root planing, any plaque and tartar (hardened dental plaque) that have accumulated below the gumline are carefully removed, and then the root surfaces of the teeth are smoothed. Since periodontal disease is an inflammatory response to plaque, tartar, and bacterial toxins, by simply mechanically eliminating these agents, the progression of gum disease can be halted. In addition to removing plaque and tartar with a scaling and root planing procedure, antimicrobial medication placed under the gumline or systemic medications can be used as adjuncts to care to further reduce the bacterial population.

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If non-surgical approaches to managing periodontal disease do not achieve the desired outcome, surgery may be recommended to halt its progression and repair damage as possible.

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Periodontal Surgery

When gum disease has advanced beyond the initial stage, periodontal surgery is often recommended to effectively remove bacteria and tartar from around the teeth, reduce gingival pocket depth, restore lost tissue as possible, and halt disease progression. It’s essential to keep in mind that gum disease is a progressive condition. If appropriate measures are not taken, gum disease continues to compromise the support of the teeth and have consequences to one’s overall dental health and well-being.

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As untreated gingivitis evolves into more advanced stages of gum disease, periodontal pockets deepen, the bacteria become more difficult to remove, and the gaps between the surface of the teeth and gums get larger. When pocket depth increases to the point of being beyond the reach of deep cleanings and other conservative methods of care (5mm or more), gum surgery to clean and treat the damage to gums and underlying bone is typically recommended.

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The good news is that with proper surgical treatment followed by improved oral hygiene, the chances of tooth loss, further damage to the bone and soft tissues supporting the teeth, and complications from health problems that are linked to periodontal disease can be decreased.

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The goals of pocket reduction surgery are to accomplish the following:

In many cases, a periodontal procedure, which is known as flap surgery, is frequently recommended. During this procedure, the gums in the affected area are reflected away from the teeth and supporting bone. Now, the pocket and roots of the teeth can be thoroughly cleaned and supporting tissues recontoured as needed. When this step gets completed, the tissue flag gets sutured back into place.

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Today, in addition to conventional surgical approaches to care, dental lasers are also used to perform select periodontal procedures. When applicable, laser technology can help treat periodontitis, reduce pocket depth, address peri-implantitis, and remove or recontour gingival tissues for cosmetic purposes.

  • Remove sub-gingival bacteria beneath the gums and from the surfaces of the roots of the teeth

  • Halt damage to the underlying bone, and recontour the affected hard tissues as needed

  • Reduce pocket depth to facilitate easier cleaning of the teeth and gums and the maintenance of optimal periodontal health

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At the office of The Star Dental Group in Warren, we offer personalized, state-of-the-art solutions to help you maintain healthy gums and an attractive, well-functioning smile. As skilled providers of care, we utilize leading-edge technology and treatment methods to address a broad range of periodontal conditions and needs.

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Thanks to advances in care, periodontal treatment today not only helps to halt the progression of gum disease but also delivers effective solutions, including bone grafting and regenerative procedures to repair tissue damage, restore bone volume, improve cosmetics, or provide adequate support for the placement of dental implants. 

PERIODONTAL THERAPY

BEFORE & AFTER

Dentist in Warren, NJ

Once we got the advanced gum disease under control we used porcelain bonded to strong gold alloys give the beauty and strength to reconstruct the most challenging of situations.

See More Before & After Photos
dentist at work Warren, NJ

GUM DISEASE FAQs

Dentist in Warren, NJ
  • What is a dental emergency?
    Toothaches: Pain is your body's way of signaling that something is not quite right and though there are many reasons for oral pain, one of the most common complaints and reasons for seeking urgent dental care is a toothache. Whether you simply need a dental filling, a crown, or require a root canal procedure to save your tooth, we'll alleviate your discomfort and restore the look and function of the involved tooth. Dental Trauma: Dental trauma can result in a defect as minor as a small chip in tooth enamel to a more extensive and painful crack or fracture. With sufficient force, a tooth can even be displaced or completely knocked out of its socket. With prompt emergency care, many injured teeth can be restored and saved. Wisdom Teeth: The last teeth in your mouth to develop, wisdom teeth often do not have enough room to fully erupt or may be positioned in the wrong direction. These issues can affect your dental health as well as overall well-being. Our office provides skilled care to address the complications caused by problematic wisdom teeth. Broken or Lost Dental Appliances: A broken or lost dental prosthesis or restoration can cause embarrassing gaps in your smile as well as compromise your ability to eat and speak with ease. If you've lost or broken a dental filling, denture, crown, or other dental appliance, you can rely on our office to perform a prompt repair or provide a durable and cosmetically pleasing replacement as quickly as possible.
  • How long do I have to wait for an appointment?
    If you are suffering from a toothache or have sustained a dental injury, it is important to visit the dentist as soon as possible before more serious complications arise. Whether your dental emergency is painful, if it affects the appearance of your smile, or if you suspect that an infection is present, our office will make every effort to see you as promptly as possible for care. At The Star Dental Group, we treat your dental emergency as our top priority. Our caring team will respond to your emergency call right away, making sure you get the gentle, state-of-the-art care you need without delay. As your trusted emergency dentist in Warren, we provide the highest quality of care to mitigate the stress, anxiety, and discomfort of dental problems. Our dedicated team will help you start feeling better as soon as we receive your emergency call.
  • Do I need to go to the emergency room or hospital
    At The Star Dental Group, we provide skilled and experienced care to effectively resolve a broad range of dental emergencies, restoring a patient's oral health while protecting their overall wellbeing. However, even so, specific dental emergencies pose significant threats to one's health. These situations require immediate, emergency room care. Serious and potentially life-threatening dental emergencies include significant oral and facial trauma such as jaw fractures, deep wounds or lacerations to the face and mouth, an abscess or infection that causes widespread facial or submandibular swelling, or affects breathing and swallowing.
  • How much does emergency dental treatment cost?
    At The Star Dental Group, we provide prompt, skilled, and experienced care to address dental emergencies. We understand that finances are always a concern and do our best to provide options in care that are both affordable and respect your budget. Once we've had the opportunity to examine your smile, we can give you a clear picture of any existing dental issues, along with a quote for what the cost of treatment will be. The cost of care all depends upon the extent and complexity of issues affecting the health or appearance of your smile and the types of procedures that are required. To help alleviate any additional stress or delay, you can count on our staff to work with you to optimize coverage for your dental care and to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses. For patients without insurance, we strive to make things easier as well! We invite you to visit our financial information page or speak to an expert in our business office.
  • Why choose The Star Dental Group for your dental emergency?
    Dental emergencies are often painful and debilitating experiences. For this reason it's important to have an emergency dentist in Warren, who welcomes patients with urgent dental needs while providing the prompt care required to restore oral health. Here are just some of the reasons why so many patients choose our office for emergency dental care and to meet their family's dental needs: Skilled and compassionate care for patients of all ages Ultra-modern office designed with patient comfort in mind Professional team experienced in all facets of care State-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technology Precise and gentle treatment using leading-edge systems of care Careful attention paid to patient input and treatment expectations Detailed explanations of treatment options and every step in care Provision of a broad range of dental services and emergency procedures Recognizes the specific needs of each patient and the unique requirements of every smile Provide patients with the education and tools to establish a strong foundation for optimal oral health We're dedicated to helping patients enjoy good oral health and beautiful smiles. We look forward to helping you keep your smile in tip-top condition. You can rest assured that our highly skilled office team will provide you the highest quality of state-of-the-art dental care and have you smiling again in no time! To make an appointment or for more information on our office and the many state-of-the-art services we provide, give us a call today.
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