Lasers and Your Gums

Lasers and Your Gums

Gum disease is no laughing matter, as it can be quite painful if allowed to progress to a certain point. Periodontal disease is the clinical term. It happens when bacteria gets below the gumline and eventually leads to detachment of the tooth and the gum. The American Dental Association says that three our of four Americans has some degree of periodontal disease, but that only three out of 100 people with gum disease will have it addressed before it’s too late.

Think of those odds, three in 100. That’s about what the experts give the Red Wings for winning the Cup this year! Not very good odds.

That’s a shame because if Dr. Egger sees the signs of gum disease early, odds are he can reverse the process. But not if you don’t come in for your regular twice-yearly exams and cleanings.

While early cases of gum disease are painless, there will be signs. Your gums should be pink like the color of bubble gum. If they become red that means they are irritated, which is usually a sign that plaque is getting below the gumline. This condition is called gingivitis and is a precursor to periodontitis. Also, the bacteria may get into a tooth causing decay. The bacteria will also make your breath reek.

When gingivitis is all that’s going on, things are still reversible. A trip to see Dr. Egger and better home hygiene can get things on the right track. But if you leave things, gingivitis will progress to gum disease and can cause tooth loss and deterioration of your jawbone.

Using lasers to battle gum disease

Traditional treatments for periodontitis have been pretty painful, sometimes requiring general anesthesia. People would avoid taking action, in part, because of the expected painful recovery. But Dr. Egger now uses a laser for gum disease therapy. The laser gently disinfects and evaporates diseased tissues from around the tooth and inside the gum pocket that has formed as the gum has pulled away from the tooth. Laser treatment interrupts the bacterial destruction of the tissues and bones, giving the gum pocket a chance to heal.

Dr. Egger will repeat these treatments from two to eight times to allow the gum pocket to be disease-free and start the process of the tissues reattaching to a near normal depth. Laser therapy is gentle, much less painful, and has a faster recovery time. Although surgery may still be required in more advanced cases of periodontitis, laser therapy is effective for beginning to moderate cases.

Lasers for other dental procedures

Lasers are expanding their use in dentistry to a variety of procedures: gum care, pediatric procedures, canker sore treatment, frenectomy (tongue-tie release) without anesthesia, root canals, and crown lengthening and other gum corrections.

Do you have signs of early gum disease? Don’t be afraid of the treatment. Dr. Egger’s diode laser works great with little or any pain. Call us at (989) 773-3560 to make an appointment.