Some Gum Disease FAQs

Learning you have gum disease can sometimes be a shock and leave you with questions. Besides wondering how it happened, what kinds of measures you can take to prevent it from worsening, and what the treatment entails, you might also have questions about your future oral health.

Periodontists are dental practitioners who specifically treat gum disease and the dental complications that surround it. You can consult them with your more in-depth gum disease FAQs, but for now, let’s take a look at some common questions patients usually have regarding treatment.

To book an appointment with an experienced periodontist, click here to contact Cumberland Periodontics in Toronto.

1. I’m not in any pain, is periodontal treatment necessary?

The early stages of gum disease don’t typically cause patients very much pain aside from when they floss, but periodontal disease can advance quickly if left untreated. A common treatment for the early stages is a deep cleaning treatment known as root planing along with scaling. This is a necessary treatment to prevent gum disease from worsening, which can be painful.

2. Should I expect pain during my periodontal exam?

Some treatments- even ones as non-invasive as root planing can leave patients experiencing some mild to moderate discomfort for a few hours after treatment. Exams, however, are generally pain-free. If you are worried about pain, communicate with your periodontist. There are a few options available to minimize discomfort such as the application of topical anesthesia to the gums.

3. Will my insurance cover the cost of it?

It’s difficult to gauge how costly periodontal treatment will be before the initial exam. Your periodontist can go over your treatment plan including cost. Costs can fluctuate depending on the length of the treatment and how advanced the gum disease is. Most comprehensive dental insurance plans leave some room for periodontal treatment but you can submit your treatment plan to your insurance to find out how much is covered before treatment begins.

4. Will I be left with missing teeth?

While periodontists strive to do all they can to save the teeth of their patients, sometimes tooth loss is inevitable. If that’s the case, there are several surgical options available to maintain the look of your smiles such as gum grafts and dental implants.

Understanding gum disease can be tricky but you can bring all of your gum disease FAQs to the experts at Cumberland Periodontics.