No one wants to find out they have a disease in their mouth. Not only is it unpleasant, but it sounds a bit scary, too. However, every year 3 million people in the United States get diagnosed with periodontitis—a common yet preventable and treatable gum disease.
As Dr. Kissel explains to his patients, periodontitis is a gum disease that usually results from poor dental hygiene. However, sometimes genetics are the root cause of the condition. It’s a multi-staged disease, which starts with gingivitis.
First, dental patients who don’t maintain proper oral hygiene—meaning they don’t brush twice a day or skip out on flossing—begin to develop plaque on their teeth. This plaque breeds bacteria if it isn’t cleaned off twice daily or professionally cleaned at your dentist’s office twice a year. As this bacteria festers, it begins to seep into your gums.
At first, you might not notice the symptoms of the disease, or it might not click that something is wrong. Common early warning signs of periodontitis that patients might notice include:
If you have one or more of these symptoms, you might not recognize them as the big red flags that they are. You see, if you don’t start practicing proper oral hygiene immediately and restart your twice-a-year visits with your dentist, the disease will progress. This may cause new symptoms to appear over a more extended period of time, including:
If you notice these signs, a trip to your regular dentist won’t be enough. Instead, you’ll need to visit periodontist, Dr. Kissel. These symptoms indicate that you’re at an advanced stage of periodontitis. If you don’t act quickly, late-stage symptoms include:
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you’ve got more than just a dental problem. Patients with an advanced case of periodontitis can experience life-threatening health complications, too, including an increased risk for stroke or heart disease.
When you visit Dr. Kissel, he will help you overcome periodontitis so you can get back to the smile and oral health you had before. In fact, not only is Dr. Kissel one of the most sought after board-certified periodontists in the United States, but he genuinely cares about his patients’ health and comfort. That’s why he has equipped his office with the latest oral health care technology, and every aspect of his practice has been designed to provide his patients with the best experience possible.
No matter the stage of periodontitis you have, Dr. Kissel can treat it with one, or a combination of, the following types of treatments:
This type of treatment is the most common option for men and women who have a milder case of periodontitis. Scaling and root planning is used to remove plaque, tartar, and bacteria through a deep cleaning process that focuses on tooth roots. Most patients can find relief and see improvement from this one treatment.
The Periscope is one of the most advanced devices available to periodontists like Dr. Kissel. It works by allowing him to see below the gum line during a minimally invasive procedure. Using advanced lighting, video, and magnification, Dr. Kissel can effectively remove tartar, plaque, and bacteria—thereby eliminating the need for surgery.
Can stimulate bone growth.Patients with severe periodontitis may require treatment with the LANAP Laser. This method encourages the gums to reattach to the tooth. When used in conjunction with the Periscope to remove tartar and plaque buildup, patients can achieve full recovery from periodontitis. Dr. Kissel is one of the first periodontists in the area to specialize in this unique combination treatment method.
Though Dr. Kissel works to prevent the need for surgery, there are some cases of periodontitis that require gum graft surgery to provide the best results. Patients whose gums have receded so much that their tooth roots are exposed may require this minimally invasive microsurgical technique to repair gums and resolve periodontitis.
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