Nearly everyone knows the obvious consequences of gum and bone disease - bad breath, swollen and/or inflamed gums that bleed when brushing and flossing, loose teeth and/or bone loss that ultimately causes you to lose your teeth.

There is also evidence of links between gum and bone disease with more serious health conditions such as:

When bacteria resultant from periodontal disease is released into the bloodstream, it causes the liver to produce C-reactive proteins (CRP). Elevated CRP levels are a strong predictor of heart disease and stroke by promoting inflammation of the arteries and the formation of blood clots.^{Read More}
 

Lasers: Lasers are being used to treat gum disease. The laser kills many of the offending bacteria, removes diseased tissue, and encourages gum reattachment to the teeth. Laser treatment is usually done without local anesthesia and often reduces the need for more extensive periodontal surgery.

Root planing: We use ultra-thin tools to smooth the surface of your teeth from debris. In areas where the tooth has separated from the gums, the aim is for the gum to reattach to a cleaned, smooth root surface. When the tooth has a smoother surface, it is more difficult for bacteria and plaque to reattach to the tooth.

Gingival grafts: When the gums have receded or appear to be fragile, it may be necessary to graft a small amount of tissue from the roof of the mouth to the receded gum line. This is a 40-60 minute procedure performed under local anesthesia. Other forms of grafts that do not use the roof of the mouth as a donor site are available as well.

Gingivectomy: In severe cases of gum disease where the gums have pulled away from the teeth and there are deep pockets of bacteria, it may be necessary to remove portions of the diseased gum tissue completely. This is performed under local anesthesia and may be done with a laser to reduce recovery time.

Crown lengthening: This procedure is performed when there is not enough natural tooth surface available to support a filling or a crown. This can occur if a tooth is broken or if a filling falls out of a tooth that is extensively decayed. We use a soft-tissue laser to remove excess gum tissue and reveal more of the natural tooth so that the restoration can be supported. An added benefit is that in some cases, a "gummy" smile is now more in proportion!