Periodontal Disease

Our specialist periodontist clinic proudly welcomes patients from all over the UK.

Specialist Periodontist in Essex

At Al-FaPerio, our innovative laser gum treatment is available at our periodontal clinic in Essex. We offer periodontal therapy that helps treat, diagnose and prevent gum disease. As the UK’s leading periodontal clinic offering laser gum treatment for periodontal treatments, we believe in creating a strong and healthy oral foundation.

Gum disease is highly common in the UK, with up to 9 in 10 people having some form of it. At our periodontal clinic, our team of specialists can diagnose, plan and offer dependable, effective and long-lasting treatment.

Whether you have receding gums, bad breath, or a form of gum disease, our periodontal clinic in Essex is here to help. We continue to welcome new patients in and around the London and Essex area. Visit our clinic today by booking an appointment with us.

Periodontist Essex

Periodontal Gum Disease Treatments

Periodontal (Gum) Disease

Understanding Periodontal Disease

The phrase “long in the tooth” is a common one – it further perpetuates the idea that people should naturally lose their teeth as they get older, but this need not be the case. Some people become more prone to gum disease as they get older and therefore are more at risk of losing their teeth, but there is something they can do about it. Gum disease, or periodontitis, is usually symptom-free until it gets to the more advanced stages. In these later stages you may experience pain, bad tastes or bad breath, receding gums, teeth that have drifted or moved position, loose teeth, and abscesses.

The best way to catch gum disease in time is to have regular dental check-ups so your dentist can detect it in the earlier stages when it is easier to manage. It can, however, be managed at any stage, to hopefully prevent tooth loss.

Many people think that bleeding gums are normal. This is not the case; bleeding gums, while painless, are an early sign of gum disease. Treating gum disease is not just about having a healthy mouth, gum diseases can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, respiratory diseases, stress and depression, and other aspects of general health.

Periodontists in Essex at Al-FaPerio

If your dentist detects some degree of gum disease, they may refer you to a periodontist. This is a dentist who spent several years specialising in the management of gum diseases, and is therefore perhaps better qualified and equipped to manage the condition for you.

A specialist in Periodontics is a periodontist who has accredited training, usually including some teaching experience, research, and multi-disciplinary training, and is on the specialist list held by The General Dental Council.

Some patients see periodontists for other conditions not directly related to gum disease. These may be conditions such as extensively receding gums due to trauma from toothbrushing, removal of gum swellings, or as part of complicated treatment plans requiring extensive crown and bridgework, or for the preparation and placement of dental implants.

Specialist Periodontal Treatment

Your gums are incredibly important for your mouth. This is why we offer innovative gum treatments designed to eliminate gum infections and restore your oral health to a high standard.

Unlike traditional gum disease and periodontal treatments, laser dentistry offers a number of benefits.

Gum disease can cause excessive bone and gum deterioration that can lead to further oral complications. Laser gum treatment can reverse damage caused by gum infections.

Benefits of Laser Gum Treatment from Al-FaPerio:

  • A minimalistic, discreet gum disease treatment
  • Treatment is designed to be comfortable and pain-free
  • Less gum recession during post-treatment
  • Eliminates infection and promotes bone regeneration

Al-FaPerio uses a unique, signature plan that enables us to design and carry out gum treatment, creating long-lasting results. This plan allows us to carry out effective laser gum treatments and therapy, which is why we are an award-winning periodontal clinic.

If you believe you have gum disease or have more questions about our gum treatments, contact us today on 02085060701. You can also book an appointment with us and visit our periodontal clinic in London at a time and date that suits you.

Specialist Periodontal Treatments Can Include:

Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy

These treatment techniques commence before any invasive surgical procedures are considered. We find that these alone are adequate to resolve the conditions.

Non-Surgical Periodontal Laser Therapy

We carry out this non-invasive procedure using Waterlase technology. These techniques help us treat shallow and deep pockets. More often than not, we obtain excellent results.

Access Flaps and Pocket Elimination Surgery

On occasion, especially in difficult areas, we need to gain better access to the site of infection. We achieve this by using a surgical technique that allows us to get better visualisation and eliminate the detachment of the gum.

Regenerative Surgical Therapy

We can now accomplish bone and tissue regeneration using specially devised lasers and surgical procedures, creating the right environment for your own tissues to reform.

Root Resections and Hemisections

To prolong the prognosis of a highly-infected tooth, we may need to take off the infected root that is the source of the infection. This is especially true for those multi-rooted teeth at the back of the mouth.

Free Gingival and Connective Tissue Grafts

These grafts allow us to cover the area for management of recession defects. Grafts are especially useful in the front of the mouth where there may be localised gum recession affecting the aesthetics of the smile.

Root Coverage Procedures

These are useful for generalised recession cases where more teeth are involved. Many times we don’t need to use any grafts; we can accomplish great aesthetics using a coronal positioned flap technique that simply repositions the same gum.

Frenectomies

Sometimes the lips can be restricted in their movements, or they pull on the gums, causing damage. This can be due to small folds of tissue on the inside of the lips called frenum or frena. Treatment of the frenum can help in these situations.

Gingivectomies

In conditions of gingival hyperplasia (overgrowth of gums), various techniques evolved to re-contour and cut away the excessive gum providing better conditions for aesthetics and oral hygiene.

Hard and Soft Tissue Ridge Augmentation

These are guided bone regeneration and bone grafting procedures. They can be useful when considering implant treatment or better gum aesthetics for a bridge pontic (false tooth attached to bridge).

Crown Lengthening

This procedure is very useful for situations where the tooth appears shorter and requires restorative crowns to improve the smile. In some instances, this may require bone removal to accommodate the full length of the tooth required. This is also an excellent choice for the treatment of gummy smiles.

Reverse Vestibuloplasties

There are several uses to this procedure which aims to reshape or deepen the area between the gum and cheeks. It can be used to lower the lip line in gummy smiles or to give more room when root coverage or implant treatment is required.

Supportive Periodontal (Maintenance) Therapy

We may have to intervene when we feel that the previous treatment plan is not resolving the condition or responding how we anticipate. This can occur in situations of excessive infection or compromised medical histories. The treatment prescribed is based upon the re-diagnosis and re-risk assessment of the tissues.

Restoration of Biological Width

In instances where longer teeth are required or in situations of a gummy smile, the gum needs to be reduced to allow for better aesthetics. However, when there is not enough distance maintained between the crest of the bone and the gum (the biological width) the gum can regrow back into the original appearance. There are several treatments a periodontist may suggest after careful measurements of the condition.

Splinting and Splinted Bridges

These treatments are often used in adjunct to other therapies. Splinting helps keep loose teeth in place while other foundational work is being done.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for gum disease to heal?

The length of time it takes for your gum disease to heal depends largely on how severe your case is. The earlier it’s caught, the easier and faster it will be to resolve, and you could see improvements in as little as one to two weeks. In more serious cases, it may take several weeks or months to see big improvements.

A consultation with your dentist will help to determine how much work will be required to treat your gum disease.

What are the symptoms of gingivitis?

Gingivitis is the earliest phase of gum disease and is also the easiest to treat. The most common warning signs of this condition include:

  • Swollen or puffy gums
  • Bad breath
  • Receding gums
  • Tender gums
  • Gums that bleed when you brush or floss

Seeking professional treatment when experiencing these early signs of gum disease is so important, as it can make treating it much simpler. However, if left untreated for some time it can lead to more serious forms of gum disease, tooth loss and bone loss.

Should I brush my gums if I have gingivitis?

If you’re experiencing the signs of gingivitis, it can be tempting to try and rectify it with increased brushing of the affected area. You should brush both your teeth and gums every day to prevent a build-up of bacteria, however, if you’ve started experiencing signs of gingivitis, brushing alone won’t solve it.

You should seek the help of your dentist if you’re experiencing these early signs of gum disease so they can begin treatment.

Can gum disease make you sick?

Left untreated, gum disease can not only lead to tooth and bone loss but could potentially result in other more serious health concerns too. Gum disease could increase your risk of developing respiratory infections, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pneumonia.

This is why it’s important to attend routine check-ups with your dentist to detect any issues early, and to seek the necessary treatment before things have a chance to develop and become worse.

Does gum disease go away?

We understand that for many, the dentist’s chair is the last place they want to be. However, if you have the signs of gum disease, doing nothing will only result in the condition worsening.

Unfortunately, gum disease does not go away on its own, and you will need to receive professional treatment in order to treat the condition. The good news is that it is treatable, as long as you don’t leave it too long.

What are the warning signs of gum disease?

Gum disease doesn’t just appear over night, and there are several warning signs that you can look out for which will help you identify the need for additional care early on. The first stages of gum disease is usually swollen, or bleeding gums when brushing. You may also have bad breath. This stage is known as gingivitis and can be treated early on before periodontitis develops.

We advise that if your finding that your gums bleed after brushing or flossing, that you make an appointment with your dentist to explore the issue further.

What are the main causes of gum disease?

Gum disease is caused by a build up of plaque on the surface of the tooth. It can happen to anyone, but the most effective way of keeping it at bay is by brushing your teeth twice a day for at least 2 minutes each time in order to fight plaque build-up.

Does gum disease hurt?

Sometimes. Gum disease can cause your gums to become swollen, bloody and sore, and this increased sensitivity may cause discomfort if left untreated.

It’s important to note however, that gum disease isn’t always painful, and that you must keep an eye out for other symptoms of gum disease in order to avoid missing the diagnosis.

Is gum disease reversible?

This really depends on the severity of the gum disease, as you may still be in the earliest stages (gingivitis) which can be treated and is usually reversible. If you have any of the following symptoms:

  • Red gums
  • Swollen gums
  • Gums that bleed easily

You should contact your dentist for gum disease treatment in Essex, as soon as you notice the symptoms. Unfortunately, as gum disease progresses, it becomes less easy to resolve and is no longer reversible.

What do gums look like with gum disease?

We can tell a lot about the health of a patient’s mouth by the way their gums look, which is why the first stages of Periodontal disease are almost always situated in the gums. Healthy gums will look pink and feel firm, whilst unhealthy gums, especially where gum disease is present will look quite recognisable, with:

  • Redness and swelling
  • Bleeding during brushing or flossing
  • Receding gums that are pulling away from the teeth

If you recognise any of the above symptoms in your gums, then you should contact your dentist straight away to start treating the affected area.

How quickly does gum disease progress?

Gum disease isn’t a particularly fast-acting condition, and you should be able to identify the early stages of Periodontal disease in plenty of time to get the appropriate treatment. Gum inflammation, which is one of the earliest signs of gum disease, can occur for several weeks before becoming more of a prominent issue and could take up to a month or longer to progress into full-blown periodontal disease.

It’s for this reason that we encourage patients to attend routine appointments so that we can identify issues in their earliest stages and ensure they don’t progress.

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You can call us on 020 8506 0701 or fill out the form here for more information on all our treatments.

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