Can you imagine having a home that looks pristine on the outside but is in disarray on the inside, even when your in-laws are coming over? Surely there are houses like that which exist, yet it would make more sense to focus on the inside first since you are there more often.
Spinning that into a dental context, pondering a cosmetic dentistry procedure while you have gum disease is a case of priorities getting out of order. Keep reading to learn from your cosmetic dentist in Skokie what gum disease is, how it can impact your smile, and why it should be the first issue to be addressed.
What Do I Need to Worry About If I Have Gum Disease?
Also known as periodontal disease, gum disease is an infection of the tissues that hold your teeth in place. It’s typically caused by poor brushing and flossing habits that allow plaque to build up on the teeth and harden. In advance stages, it can lead to bleeding gums, painful chewing problems, and even tooth loss.
There are several risk factors for gum disease, but smoking is the most significant and it can make treatment less successful. Other risk factors include diabetes, hormonal changes in women, medications that cause dry mouth, certain illnesses like AIDS, as well as genetic susceptibility.
What Visible Effects Can Gum Disease Have on Me?
There are visible symptoms of gum disease including gums that are red, swollen, or bleeding, as well as receding gums that make teeth appear longer. Some symptoms that can’t be seen include persistent bad breath and teeth that are loose or sensitive, but tooth loss can eventually occur.
Why Does It Matter That I Seek Treatment for Gum Disease Before Cosmetic Dentistry?
Certain cosmetic procedures such as the placement of porcelain veneers can make it more difficult to detect cavities or disease, so it is essential that your smile is free from infection before starting your smile makeover with cosmetic procedures. It may take a few months to treat your gum disease, depending on how severe it is, but disregarding it to focus on a cosmetic procedure would be putting the cart before the horse.
After all, if gum disease can eventually progress to tooth loss, why would you spend money on a treatment that’s clearly at risk of failure? Not unlike the importance of building a house on a solid foundation, the health of your teeth and gums is priority number one before you turn your attention to their appearance.
Upon an initial consultation with a cosmetic dentist, they can check to see if you have any issues that need to be addressed – including gum disease – before you attempt to schedule a cosmetic procedure. Once you are deemed healthy, both of you can focus on your custom treatment plan to enhance the look and function of your smile!
About the Practice
At Weiss Dental Arts, we take pride in having top-tier dental equipment so that our staff can provide you with optimal treatments. From offering customized crowns in a single visit to having an in-house laboratory so we can produce most dental appliances ourselves, it is about making life easier on our patients. On that note, we couldn’t perform a cosmetic treatment on someone who needed gum disease therapy in Skokie first because that is setting a patient up for future problems. Let’s make sure you are healthy first and then we’ll get to upgrading that smile to make you happy. To schedule a consultation, visit our website or call (847) 864-0188.