Have you spent both time and money on dental services only to realize you are back in the dentist’s chair a few months or years later because something did go wrong? Perhaps a crown has been lost, a filling has fallen out, or worst still, a dental implant that you thought was to last a lifetime is creating issues. You followed all the aftercare instructions, brushed and flossed, but your dental work is still failing. What’s going on?
The solution may be concealed in the depths where it cannot be seen. Although your dentist may have done a fantastic job on your teeth, there is an essential background that must be in good health on which any dental restoration process can be successful: your gums and bone. Even the finest of dental work, when this basis is undermined by gum disease–which you usually cannot even tell is taking place–yet even the finest of dental will crumble after too short a time. At Forest Heights Dental, your trusted SE Calgary dentist, we realize that to treat the dental area successfully, it is necessary to treat not only the visible tooth itself, but also all the surrounding structure under the tooth.
What is “Hidden” Gum Disease?
Gum disease does not necessarily present itself in any dramatic or painful ways. As a matter of fact, the most threatening feature of periodontal disease is its insidious nature. Most patients who have a severe level of gum disease are not aware of the problem until it has caused them a great deal of damage.
Gum disease usually starts as gingivitis, a mild inflammation of the gums caused by bacterial plaque buildup along the gumline. You may notice some slight bleeding upon brushing or flossing, or the gums may look slightly redder than usual. Nevertheless, because gingivitis often does not cause pain, most individuals ignore these red flags or believe it is common to see blood when brushing their teeth.
In case of no treatment, gingivitis may progress into periodontitis, a more severe illness where the infection penetrates below the gumline and starts to destroy the bone, which keeps your teeth in position. It is at this point that the actual threat starts. Periodontitis leads to the gums pulling away from the teeth, leaving gaps that harbour bacteria. The bone that supports your teeth gradually wears away over time. In the process, you may not experience much pain, and this is why we refer to it as the βhiddenβ gum disease.
Why should you not know that you are weakening? Chronic gum disease may develop painlessly and over a long period, unlike a cavity, which may lead to a sharp toothache or an infection, which may cause swelling. The loss of bone occurs insidiously beneath the gum tissue, and you cannot see it. A significant amount of damage may have taken place even before you realize that you have loose teeth or teeth with obvious receding gums, damage that endangers any other dental work that you have had before.
How Gum Disease Puts Fillings, Crowns, and Implants at Risk
By seeing how hidden gum disease may impact your dental work, it becomes easier to see why your dental work may continue to fail, even though you did the job properly.
β¨ Dental Implants and Peri-Implantitis
Dental implants are designed to be a permanent solution for missing teeth, but they’re not immune to problems caused by gum disease. Peri-implantitis occurs when periodontal disease develops around an implant. Peri-implantitis, similar to periodontitis, is an inflammatory condition and bone loss of the area surrounding the implant post. Given that the implant is dependent on the ability to integrate with your jawbone to be stable, bone loss undermines this bond. The implant may become loose or even lose its functions. Dental implant failure due to peri-implantitis is becoming more prevalent. It is mostly observed in patients who already had preexisting gum disease when they received their implants, and or did not practice excellent oral hygiene.
β¨ Crowns and Fillings at Risk
Although crowns and fillings are the restoration of the part of your tooth that you can see, they also rely on a healthy core. Receding gums create an exposure of the area of intersection between the crown or filling and the natural tooth structure when the gum disease occurs. This forms new surfaces on which bacteria may accumulate, and corrosion may occur. Moreover, as gum disease progresses and bone is lost, the tooth may become loose in its socket. A crown on a loose tooth won’t function properly and may require crown and filling repair or even extraction and replacement.
Gum recession also exposes tooth roots, which are more susceptible to decay than the enamel-covered crown. In case of filling or crown on a tooth with gum disease, new decay may occur at the margins or on the newly exposed root surface, making the restoration fail.
β¨ Overall Stability and Function
Consider your teeth and dental work as a house. One can have the most beautifully designed roof, walls and windows, yet the foundation is crumbling, and this means that the whole is under threat. That foundation is your gums and bone. Once they are weakened by illness, everything built on them, including natural teeth and dental restorations, becomes fragile. That is why it is necessary to treat gum disease before and after any serious dental procedure.
Signs Your Dental Work Keeps Failing
Do you even realize that you may be having hidden gum disease and making your dental work a failure? The following are some of the red flags to be observed:
- Bleeding or Swollen Gums Near the Restoration: Although some individuals might believe that gums can bleed at times, when flossing and brushing their teeth, healthy gums do not bleed. When there is bleeding or swelling around a crown, filling, or implant, it is an indication that there is inflammation in that area caused by bacteria. Left unattended, this inflammation may develop into a more severe infection and bone loss.
- Persistent Bad Breath or a Bad Taste: Chronic bad breath (halitosis) or a bad all the time taste in your mouth may even be a sign of bacterial infection under the gums. Sulphur compounds generated by the bacteria causing gum disease result in an unpleasant smell. If you start to see this symptom regularly despite brushing your teeth and using mouthwash, you should have your gums checked by your SE Calgary dentist.
- A Feeling That the Tooth or Implant is “Loose” or Shifting: The feeling that a tooth with a crown or filling or a dental implant is moving is a warning sign. The teeth that are in the natural state must be tightly rooted in the bone, and implants must be absolutely stable. When you can wiggle a tooth with your tongue or finger, or when you realize that your bite does not feel the same, then the supporting bone may be breaking down as a result of gum disease.
- Pus or Discharge: When you notice pus around your gums, around or on your natural teeth or dental implants, it is a sign of infection. This is a severe indication that needs urgent medical care by a dentist.
- A Change in How Your Teeth Fit When You Bite: When you bite, it may feel different; maybe your teeth are not fitting as well as they did before, and you can see space where they used to fit tightly. This is because the bones are being lost due to gum disease. This movement can influence the functionality of crowns and fillings and cause other dental issues.
How We Diagnose and Fix the Root Cause at Forest Heights Dental
At Forest Heights Dental, we believe in treating the whole picture, not just individual symptoms. When patients come to us with repeatedly failing dental work, we take a comprehensive approach to identify and address the underlying cause.
β¨ Comprehensive Periodontal Exams and Digital Imaging
Assessment starts with a comprehensive periodontal examination. We put the depth of the pockets between your gums and teeth at several points around each tooth. Normal pockets measure from 1 to 3 millimetres; when deeper, it means there is a gum disease. We also examine recession, bleeding, and tooth mobility.
We apply high-tech digital imaging to take a look behind the scenes. Digital X-rays enable the accurate assessment of the bone levels surrounding your teeth and implants. This imaging assists us in seeing bone loss, which is not easily seen in a visual examination and thus provides a clear view of the extent of progress any gum disease has made.
In the cases of dental implants, we are particularly careful of the bone and the tissue around the posts of the implant. Peri-implantitis is best prevented when detected early, before it can damage the implant.
β¨ Treatment Options: From Deep Cleanings to Periodontal Therapy
After the diagnosis of the gum disease, we come up with a custom-made treatment plan. In the case of mild gum disease (gingivitis), professional cleaning and better self-care can be enough to have healthy gums and keep your teeth in good health.
In more developed periodontitis, we recommend scaling and root planing, also known as a deep cleaning. The process removes plaque and tartar under the gum and flattens the root surfaces to aid in the re-attachment of the gums to the teeth. This therapy will be able to radically enhance the health of your gums and provide a more reliable base for your restorations.
In severe gum disease or peri-implantitis, we can prescribe more advanced periodontal therapy. At Forest Heights Dental, we collaborate with professional periodontists for specialized treatment. Some of the treatment methods can be antimicrobial therapy, laser therapy or surgical operations to restore the lost bone and tissue.
Protecting Your Investment in Your Smile
Dental health is an investment in the way you look, in how comfortable you feel, even in your health. It is not only inconvenient and costly when dental work fails more than once, but it can also impact how you eat, talk, and smile.
At Forest Heights Dental, we believe in assisting our patients in SE Calgary to attain sustainable dental health. We realize that dental care does not only involve attention to individual teeth; it also involves the overall health of your mouth, including your gums and the bone that supports them.
If you have had dental implant failure recur, issues with crowns and fillings, or any of the warning signs listed above, we invite you to schedule an extensive assessment. Don’t let hidden gum disease continue to undermine your dental work. Contact Forest Heights Dental today to schedule your consultation. Together, we’ll build a strong foundation for a healthy, lasting smile.
