A recent study has found that periodonal disease has been linked to some cancers. Dr. Malek recommends that periodontal disease can be prevented by practicing good oral hygiene and regular visits with your dentist and periodontist. Dr. Malek of implants 90807 practice in Long Beach, California notes that with daily brushing and flossing, you can help minimize plaque build-up, along with a professional cleaning 2-4 times a year.

About 75% of tooth loss is due to periodontal disease, formations of bacterial plaque that infect and begin to cause gum deterioration, loose teeth, receding gums, red or swollen gums, frequent bleeding of the gums, and spaces between the teeth.

If periodontal disease has been caught early, there are many non-surgical ways to treat it. Most commonly, Dr. Malek can employ dental scaling and root-planing during early onset periodontal disease. This involves removing plaque from roots of teeth, and smoothing the roots of the tooth to prevent additional growth of bacteria.

When periodotal disease is more advanced, Dr. Malek is trained in several surgical techniques, which can help restore the teeth. These include bone grafting to replace lost bone due to severe bacterial infection, crown lengthening, which can help restructure a tooth so that it better supports a crown, and tooth and gum contouring, which can help reshape teeth and gums affected by gum disease.

Dr. Malek is also skilled in performing dental implants, the new standard when a tooth is lost. In this procedure, a replacement for a lost tooth is surgically attached to the jaw and topped with a crown. Though this procedures is more expensive than bridges or false teeth, it tends to last longer and provide more comfort. Theres also no need to use adhesives since the tooth is permanently fixed in the mouth.