Periodontal Care | Amaya Dental

What Are Periodontics?

Periodontics is a field of dentistry concerned with diseases and other oral health issues that affect the supporting structures of the teeth, such as the gums and soft tissue.

A periodontist specializes in the treatment of gum disease and other issues that affect the health of your mouth's soft tissue. “Peri” means around and “odont” means tooth, while “ics” means the study of something, so the literal translation of periodontics means to study [the tissues] around the teeth.

For periodontal care like checkups, diagnosis, and treatment, contact us at Amaya Dental. Schedule a consultation with our experiences dentists at either our Miami or Pembroke Pines location.

Periodontal Treatments

Traditional Cleanings

A routine cleaning can cure gingivitis as well as practicing good oral hygiene. This is because gum disease is reversible at this stage. If you have plaque and tartar buildup, it is important to have it removed by a professional dentist. Tartar cannot be removed at home with regular brushing and flossing. During a routine cleaning, we perform scaling to remove plaque and tartar from above and around the gum line.

Deep Cleanings

A deep cleaning involves scaling and root planing to treat gingivitis or early-stage periodontitis. Unlike a routine cleaning, a normal part of a preventative dentistry plan, scaling in a deep cleaning involves scraping away plaque and tartar from below the gum line. Root planing involves smoothing out the tooth’s roots and this makes reattaching the gums more ideal.

Gum Flap Surgery

When you have a more advanced stage of periodontitis, you will have deeper gum pockets that trap more bacteria. In this case, gum flap surgery may be necessary to remove plaque and tartar from deep gum pockets. We will surgically lift your gums so we can thoroughly clean the gum pockets. Your gums will be repositioned and sutured back into place.

Have questions about Periodontal Care? Find answers here.

What Is Gum Disease?

Gum disease is an infection of the soft tissues in your mouth as a result of plaque and tartar buildup. This occurs when you fail to maintain good oral hygiene through regular brushing and flossing. This may also happen if you have not been to the dentist in many years.

When food particles are left behind, plaque, which is a yellow sticky substance made of bacteria, forms. When left untreated, it hardens into tartar. At this point, you will need to get a professional cleaning to remove it or it can cause gum inflammation and infection.

Is Gum Disease Reversible?

Yes, in the earliest stages, known as Gingivitis, gum disease is completely reversible. The only problem is that symptoms are very mild in the early stages, which leads to many people ignoring their symptoms or not realizing anything is wrong.

These symptoms include red, tender, swollen, and bleeding gums. While gingivitis doesn’t cause any permanent damage to your gums or bone tissue, once it’s developed into periodontitis it will cause irreversible bone loss and soft tissue damage that can lead to loose or falling out teeth.