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Dr. Karl Smith
Periodontics & Dental Implants
2500 N. Van Dorn St.
Suite 128
Alexandria VA 22302
(703) 894-4867
601 Post Office Rd.
Suite 1-B
Waldorf MD 20602
(301) 638-4867
Cosmetic Periodontics
Dr. Karl Smith
Dentists generally refer to anything that has to do with the gums by using the word “periodontic” and so the care of gums by a dentist is referred to by the technical term periodontics. Cosmetic is a word we all know, and it has to do with how something looks. So as you have probably figured out by now, cosmetic periodontics is a type of dentistry that deals with two specific things – the outward appearance of our gums plus the health and well being of those gums.
By attending to the gums and the way they look, feel, and remain nicely maintained we also, of course, add to the beauty of our overall smile and physical health. So while the primary focus of cosmetic periodontic dentistry is especially on the gums, it has a much larger influence on our total health – because general health is closely connected to dental hygiene. When our teeth and gums are diseased, for example, the condition can lead to distress in other parts of the body – including such serious things as heart disease. But when our dental and periodontic health is at its best, it actually contributes in a positive, substantial way to help our body ward off sickness and disease and keep us not only looking great but feeling fantastic, too.
The clinical need for periodontic care – particularly cosmetic work – will usually occur because the tissue of the gums does not grow properly or gets infected and diseased. The gums might become infected and swollen, for example, so that they need to be drained, opened to remove infection, or otherwise treated by the dentist. Or you might have a really “gummy” smile – because of an unusually large amount of pink gum around the teeth – and the dentist can do a cosmetic trimming of the tissue to improve the appearance of your smile.
Often times the gum tissue recedes away from the bottom part of the tooth, and that can also be a serious problem. The gums actually help to protect and nourish the teeth, and if they recede too deeply then the tooth is at risk and may become sensitive or start to hurt. In the old days dentists would have to remedy this problem by grafting tissue – which they cut away from the roof of the mouth – into place. This was obviously a very painful process and one that nobody would want to endure – and it was extremely expensive in most cases. But lucky for us dental procedures have become much more modernized, and now the dentist can use donor tissue to help replace the missing gum tissue around your teeth. Then the gums start to grow normally again, and the teeth look much more attractive.
In other words there are various reasons why cosmetic periodontal dental procedures might be advantageous, and if you visit your dentist he or she can help to explain them to you and recommend any that you might want or need. Regular visits to the dentist are the most prudent and smart way to go, of course, because periodontal problems can be detected way ahead of time if you see the dentist at least twice a year. That gives the dentist a chance to treat any potential trouble before the need arises for cosmetic periodontics.