Gum disease is an infection affecting the gum tissue that about half of adult patients contract in their lifetimes. Though common, this infection can wreak serious havoc on your smile. You will need periodontal therapy from your dentist to eradicate gum disease.
But even when you get rid of the infection, you may notice aesthetic changes that continue to disrupt the appearance of your smile. Fortunately, you can consult with a cosmetic dentist to determine the appropriate treatment to enhance the look of your smile once again.
Knowing more about these issues can make you more prepared to find ways to fix them. Read on to learn about four types of cosmetic dental problems that may develop in the wake of gum disease and how your dentist can treat them.
Puffy Gums
When you contract gum disease, bacteria eat away at your gum tissue, leaving you with irritated, bleeding, and swollen gums. You might feel self-conscious about their inflamed, red, and puffy appearance.
Fortunately, gum inflammation will go down once your dentist treats the infection in most cases. The dentist removes excess bacteria with thorough cleaning techniques to eradicate the infection. Without bacteria to cause irritation, you can see the back of this cosmetic dental concern.
Receding Gums
Bacteria wreak serious havoc on your gum tissue when you have periodontal disease. As a result, the gums can recede, exposing more of your teeth when you smile and disrupting its appearance.
If your gums recede, you can talk to your dentist about gum contouring treatment using laser dental procedures. The dentist will gently push gum tissue lower, covering more of your teeth to achieve a more even and balanced final look in your smile. Non-invasive laser treatments accomplish your smile goals without discomfort.
Smile Alignment Issues
Your gums might change with the swelling and receding that can stem from periodontal disease. In turn, this may also affect the appearance of your teeth. More specifically, changes in the gums may mean your teeth shift out of their usual straight position.
Teeth may become crooked, and you can see gaps develop between teeth, including black triangles. These can create dark corridors that interrupt the full look of your smile.
Your dentist can help you align your teeth once again using cosmetic dental solutions. Tooth bonding treatment can employ composite resin to fill these gaps and restore your smile’s gorgeous finish in one procedure.
Missing Teeth
If gum disease advances and spreads to damage your teeth and jawbone as well as your gums, you could suffer enough deterioration that one or more teeth may fall out of their sockets. You can feel very unsatisfied with missing teeth impacting the look of your smile and your facial structure.
Your dentist can evaluate your specific needs and find the best tooth replacement treatment to restore the aesthetics, structure, and health of your smile. Dental implants can provide highly beneficial restorative treatment when replacing missing teeth. Schedule a consultation with your dentist to learn more.