Loose teeth and severe gum disease
How severe gum disease causes loose teeth.
All on 4 Clinic: Dental Implants Perth.
Severe gum disease explained
Severe gum disease or periodontitis, is a common reason patients seek our help for full teeth replacement. The most common forms of periodontal disease are:
- Gingivitis - when plaque on the teeth cause gums to become red, swollen, and bleed easily if probed or brushed. There is usually little to no discomfort, and it can be reversed with professional treatment and good care at home.
- Chronic Periodontitis - inflammation spreads from the gums (gingiva), deeper to the supporting tissues of the teeth, causing progressive loss of bone and the tooth attachment. A pocket of inflammation forms between the tooth and gum, and sometimes the gum recedes. Untreated, it can progress slowly and often painlessly until the teeth lose their bone attachment, gums become severely infected, and teeth become loose.
- Aggressive Periodontitis - is similar but takes place more rapidly, generally with genetic factors at play.
Smoking can accelerate the progress of gum disease dramatically, and we find that most smokers, especially in the absence of preventive gum care, suffer from some level of gum disease. Heart disease, diabetes and respiratory disease are the most common medical cofactors.
Consequences of severe gum disease
Gum disease can start with on completely painlessly and unknown to a patient for many years, especially if they have not had professional dentist assessment. Eventually it can cause loose teeth, infected teeth/gums and loss of teeth.
We look after full teeth replacement for patients who have such severe gum disease that saving the teeth is no longer viable. If you need full teeth replacement with dental implants, the All-on-4 method involves not just removing the diseased teeth, but also the sections of diseased jaw bone as a result of gum disease as part of the implant installation process, so that we start afresh from the region of healthy bone and gum. This makes it a viable approach for cases where other implant methods are not immediately suitable. In some cases of severe infection, it may be necessary to remove the teeth first.
It is important to understand that although you would start with a new and gum-disease free mouth with this type of surgery, you must establish excellent oral hygiene at home and become a regular attendant at the practice for ongoing preventive maintenance to minimise the risk of developing gum inflammation around dental implants.
Gum disease causing lack of bone for implants
Severe gum disease causes loss of the original bone and gum structure of the jaw that is supposed to hold teeth (or implants). Once the jaw is made free of disease, we are able to regenerate areas of lost bone and gum with grafting or regeneration, in order to create a healthy foundation for implants. However in many cases of full teeth replacement, despite lack of bone, The All On 4 Plus and All On 4 Zygoma solutions can still allow for immediate teeth replacement with implants, without stages or bone grafts. This is done by utilising the available deeper, healthy bone of the jaws or face.
All On 4 Clinic Perth: Complex and advanced implant surgery
At All On 4 Clinic Perth, Dr Misagh Habibi and his team have developed a particular interest in complex dental implant surgery. As an educator in implantology, Dr Habibi tutors other dentists in advanced implants, and keeps furthering his own education and research. In cases of severe gum or dental disease, All On 4 Clinic Perth will propose treatment plan options suitable for your situation, applying sleep dentistry across the more complex procedures so you can be as comfortable as possible, and wake up to improved oral health.
For any surgical based procedure, please refer to our Disclaimer.
Send us an email.
Contact the clinic
Our practice is located in Subiaco, a 2 minute drive from Kings Park in (West) Perth.
Subiaco:
116 Churchill Ave
Perth, WA 6008
Call us:
(08) 6380 5899
1300 ALL ON 4
