Periodontal Disease and Braces Everett
If your Everett orthodontist has recommended you begin orthodontic treatment, make sure to plan ahead as much as possible. Part of the success of braces treatment is being ready for what’s to come and what could go wrong. This includes making sure to brush and floss consistently, as well as following the dietary instructions given.
Failure to adapt to your new oral hygiene need during your treatment could have cosmetic and health consequences during or at the end of your treatment. These effects could range from white spots on your teeth to periodontal disease.
What Is Periodontal Disease?
Also known as gum disease, periodontal disease is a type of infection to the gum and bones surrounding your teeth.
Active gum infections occur when young or adult patients disregard their oral hygiene by not brushing and flossing their teeth properly or as frequently as they should. This leads to the accumulation of bacteria and food particles on your teeth and gums, which then mixes together with the saliva in your mouth and acids in your mouth to form plaque.
The dental plaque will eat away the enamel of your teeth and, in around seventy-two hours, will harden into tartar. The acid nature of plaque and tartar will make the gums swollen and prone to bleeding at first.
There are two stages of periodontal disease. First, there is gingivitis, which is basically when you have inflamed gums, and then there is periodontitis, which is a more serious form of gum disease that we will discuss in a later section.
Can You Get Braces With Periodontal Disease?
It will depend heavily on how severe gum disease is on you, but as long as it is under control, you can get braces with periodontal disease.
Any type of orthodontic treatment involves moving your teeth and dental structures around. For that to happen properly, you have to have good periodontal health. In the case of severe or mild gum disease, your Everett orthodontist may first recommend some type of dental treatment to control the gum infection before starting your braces treatment.
Your orthodontist may deal with less severe cases of periodontal disease by giving you the tools and information necessary to maintain proper gum health.
Can You Get Invisalign With Periodontal Disease in Everett?
Similarly to the question above, it depends. In mild cases of periodontal disease, you may get Invisalign treatment relatively soon after a few days of proper brushing and flossing, while for the more severe cases, you will first have to go through restorative treatment.
Invisalign can be very helpful for those who suffer or are prone to suffer from periodontal disease. Given their removable nature, Invisalign trays and clear aligners are generally much more forgiving when it comes to proper brushing and flossing practices. Les obstacles mean more effective cleaning, which in itself means less plaque build-up and no irritation on your gums.
Why Are My Gums Swollen and Bleeding With Braces in Everett?
There are a few different explanations as to why your gum tissue has swollen and is prone to bleeding. One very likely possibility is some type of gum disease.
As most orthodontic patients will know, maintaining proper oral health during orthodontic treatment can be somewhat of a challenge. If you are using clear or traditional braces, you’ll have brackets and wires in the way of your toothbrush and floss, making it harder to eliminate all the bacteria and food particles hiding in small crevices.
The harder difficulty means that some patients will suffer from acidic plaque, which could irritate your gums, causing inflammation in them and making them bleed whenever you brush.
What Is the Cause of Periodontitis Everett?
In short, it’s tartar that causes periodontitis. As mentioned previously, periodontitis is the second of two stages of gum disease. This occurs when the plaque build-up transforms into tartar and starts irritating your gum tissue. Soon after, the gums and surrounding bone structures will start receding away from your teeth. This leads to infections, bone loss, loss of tooth integrity, tooth decay, and in the worst cases, complete tooth loss.
Preventing this more severe degree of gum infection is relatively easy. Do your best to maintain proper oral hygiene by developing good oral hygiene habits. This includes brushing and flossing every day to prevent plaque accumulation.
If plaque does accumulate and hardens into tartar, it’s crucial that you visit your Everett dentist immediately, as the only way to remove tartar is with a professional cleaning.
What Is Considered an Orthodontic Emergency?
While many think they may need an Everett emergency orthodontist because of a bent wire or a broken ligature, in reality, you could end up needing an emergency visit to your orthodontist because of a lack of hygiene.
Aside from the already mentioned periodontal disease, orthodontic patients can have other types of infections as a result of bad hygiene, the most common ones being cavities. While they may not seem like something urgent, lack of treatment in proper time could not only result in gum recession and tooth loss but also in increased treatment times and unexpected results after finishing the orthodontic treatment.
Keeping Your Gums Healthy During Treatment
If you are planning on undergoing orthodontic treatment in Everett or are suffering from an emergency, contact our office for an emergency orthodontist appointment. Here at Silver Lake Orthodontics, we are more than ready and happy to help you with anything you may need.