If you want veneers to cover your tooth imperfections or want to brighten your smile with professional teeth whitening, you’ll need to undergo a consultation with your dentist. This visit ensures your oral health is in good shape to receive cosmetic treatment. However, if you show any signs of gum disease, it is imperative that you first receive the appropriate care. A cosmetic dentist is here to explain why periodontal therapy is necessary if you want to improve the esthetics of your smile.
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is an oral health problem that affects millions of adults in the United States. When bacteria form and spread, they can attack the soft oral tissues and eventually, a person’s teeth and bone. It causes redness, swelling, and bleeding when brushing and flossing. Although it develops in stages (i.e., gingivitis, periodontitis, advanced periodontitis, etc.), it can progress quickly and result in tooth and bone loss.
Should the infection and inflammation enter the bloodstream, it can travel throughout the body and negatively affect the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, gut, and other vital organs.
How Can It Negatively Impact the Esthetics of Your Smile?
Apart from having gums that appear red and swollen, periodontal disease is also known to cause gum recession. This is when the soft tissues begin to pull back away from the teeth, exposing more of the natural tooth structure as well as the root. This can lead to tooth sensitivity and worsening problems for your smile.
Also, if you have advanced gum disease, you are at a higher risk for bone and tooth loss. As more teeth become loose and fall out, the jawbone will weaken and cause you to look much older because of your inward drawn lips, sunken cheeks, and sagging jowls.
Why is Gum Disease Therapy Necessary Before Cosmetic Treatment?
Treating gum disease before having any cosmetic dental treatment completed is necessary because once your veneers or teeth whitening is complete, your dentist will find it much harder to identify problem areas.
If the bacterial spread is left untreated, you run the risk of experiencing a breakdown of your smile, causing you to not only experience a dramatic decline in your appearance but also lose valuable money spent to improve what is actually a damaged and diseased smile.
Undergoing the proper treatment of scaling and root planing or even a more advanced procedure will be well worth the time and money. You can then feel confident that your new smile will look its best while your oral health remains in good shape for years to come.
Don’t try to skip out on preliminary treatments if your dentist recommends them. By choosing to take care of the problem at the start, you can ensure your improved esthetics will last longer.
About the Author
Dr. Brad Mitchell completed his undergraduate studies at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater before earning his dental degree from the University of Oklahoma. As a dentist in Oklahoma City who provides a wide array of comprehensive services, you can trust that your oral health is in good hands. Whether you need preventive services, restorative care, or cosmetic solutions to fix your imperfect smile, Dr. Mitchell and his team will work to personalize a treatment plan for you and help you achieve the results you desire. To find out more, contact us at (405) 755-2670.
