Periodontics

Your dentist— specializing in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment of gum disease and high-quality periodontal services. Oral inflammation is another area that our team treats, as well as pulling teeth and preparing your bones and gums for surgical procedures.

A dentist trained in cosmetic dentistry keeps up with the latest dental technologies, such as laser gum treatment, a cutting-edge procedure that allows your general dentist to remove infected gum tissue painlessly. Plus, you’ll appreciate a dentist who also received extensive training in implants.

Gum Disease Basics

Periodontal disease refers to bacterial infections in the supporting tissues around your teeth. While the most common form of disease occurs in your gums, it also can be present in:

• Your jaw bone
• The tissue covering your teeth roots
• Periodontal ligaments

The earliest stage of periodontal disease is called gingivitis. It refers only to a mild condition when bacteria inflame your gums. Dentists and Periodontists treat more advanced conditions that affect the tissues and structures supporting your teeth. While symptoms range from bleeding gums to tooth sensitivity and loose teeth, bacterial infections can cause problems with your overall health, with conditions such as:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Premature birth deliveries
• Arteriosclerosis
• Stroke
• Respiratory conditions, even pneumonia

Causes of Periodontal Disease

The build-up of plaque is the main symptom of the bacteria causing gum disease. It’s a sticky substance that your body fights by releasing antibodies that lead to inflammation and damage to your gums. The continual fight between your immune system and plaque is what requires the need for a dentist and/or periodontist to rid your mouth of the damage before it progresses and causes even more harm.

Most of the plaque is removed by brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing every day. Professional cleaning is necessary every six months to remove the plaque that you can’t get rid of yourself and to clean those places that your brush and flossing can’t reach effectively. Bacteria continue to multiply when not removed properly. Over time, it calcifies the plaque to form tartar, which is even tougher to remove.

Risks That Make It Even More Likely

Besides poor oral habits and insufficient family dentist visits, other conditions can add to the likelihood that you develop periodontal disease. Certain medications, such as those used to treat high blood pressure and depression — and diseases like diabetes, HIV and rheumatoid arthritis — may increase your chances, as well as:

• Tobacco use and smoking. Smokers and dippers increase the odds of developing gum disease because tartar collects on your teeth easier when you smoke. Between the plaque and tartar buildup and the reduced bone density that occurs after smoking for many years, you increase the chance of tooth loss due to periodontal disease. Quitting drastically increases your chances of having healthy teeth and gums.
• Clenching or grinding your teeth. Any habits that lead to looser teeth increase the odds of plaque gathering in the pockets created by the constant movement. The pressure also adds more stress on your jawbone that leads to tooth loss. Talk to our leading dentist Dr. Khabensky about getting a custom mouthguard to wear while you sleep to cut down on the grinding at night and try to be more aware of your habit when you’re awake, so you can stop it.
• Changing hormones. Changes in your mouth occur whenever you go through periods of hormonal changes, such as pregnancy or menopause. Puberty is an especially vulnerable time so make sure your teens visit your Bronx family dentist regularly.
• Improper nutrition. Your immune system becomes depleted when you have poor nutritional habits. And that leads to poor oral health, too. Low vitamin C levels lead to bleeding gums.
• Another unhealthy immune buster is stress. When your body is under continual stress for whatever reason, you’re at a higher risk of developing gum disease and a host of other conditions. When your body can’t fight off infection as it should, gum disease is more likely.
• Heredity. Your genes do not curse you to a life of poor dental health, but genes do play a role in periodontal disease when you don’t practice the best oral hygiene.

Your Dentist in Brooklyn Has You Covered

Building a relationship with your family dentist gives you an advantage over gum disease. With regular visits and open communication, you can alleviate symptoms quickly and prevent things like a mild case of gingivitis from becoming much worse.

Rely on your dentist and/or periodontist for your best dental health and appearance including:

• Necessary surgery
• Gum disease treatment
• Teeth pulled
• Gum contouring
• Crown lengthening
• Bone grafts
• Gum grafts
• Laser gum surgery

Do you have any questions about the Periodontics? For more information or to schedule an appointment with the doctor Igor Khabensky DDS of Family Cosmetic & Implants Dentistry, please contact our local dentistry center located in Brooklyn, NY for consultation with the dentists Alex and Igor Khabensky DDS.

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