Periodontal Disease in Profile
Smiles Take Hard Work
It shouldn’t be, but for people who are less than happy with their teeth, a smile is rarely the spontaneous and wonderful act it could be.
Missing teeth, ill-fitting dentures, unhealthy gums and bad breath can all make you feel too embarrassed to break into a grin. Most often, the culprit is a periodontal or gum disease, the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Gum disease affects three out of four people at some time in their lives, robbing them not only of healthy teeth but of the general pride and well-being that comes with being able to chew, speak and smile without hesitation.
Periodontal Disease Can Ruin Your Smile
Just as undiagnosed hypertension can lead to stroke, undiagnosed gum disease can lead to tooth loss. Most people rely on pain to tell them that something is wrong, but gum disease is painless. It’s not until their teeth start to loosen or move apart, or their gums begin to bleed, that they realize all is not well- and by that time they might be in serious danger of losing their teeth. The only way to detect gum disease, which is caused by bacterial plaque, a sticky, colorless film that forms on your teeth, is chronic. Although it can be treated into remission, once you have it, you have it for life. That’s why life-long preventive steps- like check-ups, following diagnosis and initial treatment are also important. Routine exams help catch a flare-up before its catches you.
We Take Your Smile Seriously
Periodontics – the diagnosis and treatment of gum tissues and supporting jawbone – is part of our job. Our practice, located in a modern, state-of-the-art suite in the Northeast Philadelphia, Southampton, Poconos, and Center City is staffed by highly skilled, compassionate and committed people who take their profession seriously.
Here’s The Easy Part
You may be surprised at how much time our specially trained team members spend with you during you first visit, taking a detailed medical and dental history, and thorough periodontal and oral cancer examination and necessary x-rays. The main goal of your first visit is for us to learn as much as we can about your mouth and about your lifestyle. A variety of lifestyle risk factors – from stress and genetics, smoking, diabetics or compliance, affect your dental health. That is why we ask our patients to bring to the first visit a detailed description of any health problems and a list of any medications being taken.
Our doctors will map out a plan of treatment to return your teeth and gums back to health. We involve you in every step so you are an equal partner in your care. We make every effort to keep down the costs of your dental care and we do our best to adjust to our patients’ requirements in planning for a wise investment in their superior periodontal health. Therefore, we feel that it is our responsibility to inform all patients of the charges required for various treatment plans.
If your treatment program requires several visits, you will be given an estimate and asked to discuss financial arrangements with our office administrator. If you have dental insurance we will try to help you understand your coverage. Please remember that insurance is considered a method of reimbursing the patient for fees paid to the doctor and is not a substitute for payment.
A Winning Smile Where Hard Work Pays off
The teeth you were born with were meant to last you a lifetime. That’s why Absolute Smile has an individualized periodontal maintenance plan. You’ve already invested time, money, and concern in your smile – periodontal maintenance is insurance on your investment.
A good plan takes a team effort, and our promise to you is to continue to be the most experienced, knowledgeable and supportive teammate you can have in the ongoing process of preserving oral health. We know we have to earn your smile every step of the way. And we promise you’ll be happy to wear it.
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