Soft Tissue Management
When the average person hears the term “oral care”, they usually start thinking about the health of their teeth. But oral care is more than just about your teeth. It’s also about your gums and that’s why soft tissue management is necessary. Here at Ashley Family Dental, we help our patients care for their gums properly so that their oral health is maintained.
Why Do You Need Soft Tissue Management?
Your gums are just as susceptible to dental problems just like your teeth. In fact, gum disease is very common. In the US, as many as 8 out 10 adults suffer from gum disease. Usually, the problem is plaque but gum disease can also be caused by other illnesses, medications, bad habits like smoking, and even hormonal changes.
When you have gum disease, your gums can bleed while you brush your teeth or shortly afterwards. They may also become tender, swollen, or red. In some cases, they may even recede.
And when you have this problem then it’s likely you’ll get teeth problems too. Your teeth may become loose, or they may shift in their position. Your teeth may look uneven and your bite may change. If you’re wearing partial dentures, they may not fit properly anymore.
When you come in for your regular checkup, we will look at the health of your gums closely. We will check for swelling, bleeding, and tenderness. We will also measure the space between the gum and the tooth, as this will tell us about the severity of the problem.
We’ll also check the sensitivity, alignment, and movement of the teeth, and we’ll check your jawbone as well.
What Is Involved with Soft Tissue Management?
In general, soft tissue management is about treating gum disease, and if possible preventing the onset of the disease in the first place. This may involve the use of several special tools and procedures.
Treatment usually involves scaling and root planing. Scaling refers to how we remove the plaque and tartar from the gum line so that they don’t cause harm to the gums. In root planing, we transform the rough areas on the tooth and make them smooth. By getting rid of the rough areas on the tooth, we remove the spaces where the bacteria can lodge on the tooth.
The combination of scaling and root planing is a non-surgical procedure and we usually start with this option first. But sometimes surgery may be needed to restore the supportive tissues in your gums. The dental solutions we recommend depend on the severity of your gum disease, how you responded to earlier periodontal treatments, and how healthy you are, overall.
If you want to keep your gums healthy, schedule an appointment with Ashley Family Dental. Call our Ashley Family Dental office at: (847)244-0414.
