Periodontits/Periodontal Disease

Teeth are held in place by the height and shape of the jaw bone. When teeth and gums become infected by the bacteria that cause periodontal disease, the disease process begins to destroy the bone that surrounds the teeth. Left untreated, periodontal disease destroys so much bone that there’s not enough support for the teeth. In severe cases, the teeth become very loose and cannot be saved. Many times we can save teeth with periodontal therapy, frequent periodontal maintenance appointments, and consistent home care which can, together, hault the progression of periodontal disease and stop the bone loss. Sometimes we also recommend periodontal surgery to save teeth. However, if your teeth continue to loosen and the destruction persists, our only option will be to remove the affected tooth. It’s important to extract a tooth that cannot be saved as soon as possible to prevent the spread of infection.