DIAGNOSIS

Periodontics involves the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is an inflammation and infection of the gum tissues. It includes the stages commonly known as gingivitis and periodontitis. Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults.

When plaque and tartar are left untreated on teeth and gums, gum disease may develop. You can reduce your risk of gum disease by brushing twice and flossing once every day. You should also have a dental exam and professional cleaning at least twice each year.

Gingivitis includes a variety of mild to moderate symptoms, such as:

• Red, swollen gums
• Sensitive teeth
• Gums bleeding from normal brushing or eating
• Chronic halitosis (bad breath)
• Difficulty or pain chewing

Periodontitis is a more advanced form of gum disease. In this case, gums begin to pull away from teeth, creating small “pockets” along the gum line. Tooth loss, bone loss, and damage to gums and soft tissues can occur with periodontitis.

TREATMENT

The most common treatment for gum disease is known as deep cleaning or scaling and root planing. Our hygienist can perform this gentle and effective removal of tartar, calculus, and infected tissue.

Common risk factors for gum disease include poor oral hygiene habits, diabetes, smoking, and hormonal changes. Some medications can also increase your likelihood of developing gum disease. Many recent studies have found that untreated gum disease negatively impacts other aspects of your overall health. This is especially common for patients with cardiovascular disease or diabetes.

Contact South Jersey Family Dental for a consultation and screening today.

DEEP CLEANING

Periodontal disease is very treatable, but cannot be fully cured. After the completion of your periodontitis treatment, you will be scheduled for regular ongoing maintenance care. These visits will involve a thorough professional cleaning and monitoring of your oral health to ensure the disease does not recur and progress further.

We recommend scheduling your periodontal maintenance visits and your general dentistry visits on an alternating schedule. This ensures you are receiving the proper care and treatments for your oral health needs in a timely, consistent manner.

LASER DENTISTRY

With soft tissue lasers at our disposal, Dr. Baqir Jaffery can provide precise high-quality treatments that are relatively pain-free, less invasive, and useful for a wide variety of dental treatments.

A laser is essentially a tiny beam of highly concentrated light. This beam can be used to provide pinpoint accuracy in treatments. Because the laser sterilizes the tissues and seals off blood vessels as it is used, the chance of infection or bleeding following laser treatment is minimal. The soft tissue laser is minimally-invasive, but highly effective.

With the highly versatile soft tissue laser, Dr. Baqir Jaffery can seal nerve endings and blood vessels and treat soft tissues simultaneously. This creates less stress on the gums, which significantly reduces both swelling and bleeding. Moreover, by using the soft tissue laser, Dr. Baqir Jaffery minimizes patients’ discomfort both during and after the treatment and lessens their recovery time.