Periodontal Disease Treatment in Long Beach

A periodontist is a dentist who has received additional years of specialized training in treating periodontal diseases and other conditions that affect the gums.

At Golden Coast Dental Care, we offer the services of a highly-trained, board-certified periodontist, Dr. Brock Lorenz. With a gentle and caring approach, he treats whatever periodontal issue you are experiencing to restore your gum health and beautiful smile.

Why Gum Health Is So Crucial

Without proper oral hygiene, plaque and tartar buildup causes your gums to become infected. The first and mildest stage of gum disease is gingivitis; left untreated, gingivitis advances to periodontitis or advanced gum disease.

However, gum disease is more than an oral health problem. A wealth of evidence suggests chronic infections in your mouth increase your risk of stroke, heart attack, and many other general health conditions.

What Is Gum Disease?

The first stage of gum disease is gingivitis, which develops when bacteria in plaque inflame gum tissue. Some common symptoms of gingivitis to look for are swollen gums that bleed easily when you brush and persistent bad breath.  

Without treatment, gum disease progresses to the advanced stage called periodontitis, which starts to attack the bone and tissue that hold your teeth in place. Periodontitis eventually leads to bone loss, gum recession and deep pockets between the teeth and gums.

As a periodontist in Long Beach, CA, Dr. Lorenz is qualified to provide all the advanced procedures needed to restore gum health and ensure a healthy smile. 

Periodontal Exams

An exam with Dr. Lorenz includes a comprehensive oral health evaluation, including checking your teeth and gums for signs of gum disease. Your exam may also involve taking x-rays to check for areas of bone or tissue loss and measuring the periodontal pockets to determine their depth.

Based on his findings, Dr. Lorenz may also recommend treatments such as scaling and root planing to help prevent the progression of gum disease.

Scaling and Root Planing

Scaling and root planing (SRP) is a type of deep dental cleaning. We recommend SRP when you have a buildup of plaque and tartar under the gumline.

During the procedure, we use special tools to scale or scrape away plaque and tartar buildup on the teeth and root surfaces. We then plane the root surfaces to smooth them and encourage gum tissue to reattach. We perform scaling and root planing over multiple appointments and under local anesthetic to ensure your comfort.

Soft Tissue Gum Grafting

Our periodontist recommends tissue grafting to rebuild the gums around teeth where recession has occurred. The procedure involves taking gum tissue from somewhere else in your mouth and using it to cover exposed tooth roots. There are numerous benefits to a soft tissue graft, including reduced tooth sensitivity, improved aesthetics, and reduced risk of continued gum recession.

LANAP Laser Gum Surgery

We use Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure (LANAP) to comfortably and effectively treat advanced gum disease. Because LANAP uses lasers, it is a much less invasive alternative to traditional gum surgery.

Using LANAP, Dr. Lorenz removes diseased tissue from gum pockets without damaging the healthy tissue around it. The procedure removes bacteria responsible for gum disease, stimulates gum tissue regeneration, and promotes the reattachment of gums to the tooth roots.

Benefits of LANAP include less bleeding and swelling than traditional gum surgery, minimal discomfort, no sutures, and faster recovery times.

Dental Implant Placement

Dental implants are artificial tooth roots used to replace missing teeth. The implants are placed surgically in the jawbone, and after healing, they become the foundation for a replacement tooth or teeth, such as a crown, bridge, or denture.

Crown Lengthening

This procedure improves smile aesthetics by removing excess gum tissue and exposing more of the tooth's surface. We also use crown lengthening to improve the stability of dental work, such as crowns, bridges, and veneers, by making more tooth surface available.

Schedule with a Periodontist in Long Beach, CA

Dr. Lorenz is committed to protecting his patients' gum health with advanced periodontal services at Golden Coast Dental Care. If you notice mild or advanced gum disease symptoms, please call us, and a friendly team member will help you schedule an appointment.