Periodontal Care in Brampton

A periodontist specializes in caring for the gums and bones in your jaw that support your teeth and keep them in place.

When you have a more complex issue with your gums or the bone beneath them, our dentists will refer you to our periodontist, Dr. David Leung.

Dr. Leung works right in our office so you don’t have to go somewhere else to get this treatment if you need it.

Dr. Leung possesses a background in periodontics, prosthodontics and orthodontics, and is also a clinical instructor at the University of Toronto. He has lectured at many dental schools and conferences throughout North America. He has a passion for helping others and restoring not only their dentition, but also their self-esteem.

Learn more about Dr. Leung and our dental team members.

We welcome new patients, too, who think they may have periodontal diseases or problems with receding gums or jaw bones.

Call 905-791-3867 or email us to book an appointment with Dr. David Leung in Brampton.

Periodontal disease

Bacteria and broken-down food particles cause plaque, something you’ve likely heard from us, or even on commercials for toothpaste.

Plaque starts soft, even tacky. But when not cleaned or removed correctly, plaque in some areas on the teeth and gums turns to tartar, a hard, almost stony substance.

Now, the remaining plaque and the newly formed tartar can cause inflammation. It may start as gingivitis—red, swollen, bleeding gums – but it can get more severe with time.

It can get to be periodontitis, which is what we call it when there’s actual loss of bone that anchors your teeth in your jaw. We don’t want to see that happen to you, and we can help you prevent it from happening.

Causes of periodontal disease

Part of prevention is knowing how these problems start and evolve.

Poor dental hygiene (e.g. not brushing and flossing teeth) is how it starts and how it’s allowed to get worse. But other things contribute to bad gum health. If left untreated, it can potentially result in advanced gum disease, including: 

1. Gingivitis
2. Periodontitis and
3. Advanced periodontitis.

• poor habits and behaviours (e.g. smoking)
• diseases (e.g. diabetes, HIV)
• some medications

Find out:

• what healthy gums should look and feel like
• the causes, symptoms, prevention and risks of gingivitis and periodontitis

Signs of periodontitis

But we must highlight again the signs of gum disease you should watch out for or may have noticed occurring already.

They include:

• blood on toothbrush or floss, or gums bleeding when brushing and flossing
• bad breath
• red and swollen gums (gingivitis)
• receding gums
• loose and/or shifting teeth

Consequences of gum diseases

You’ll likely feel unsatisfied with how your mouth and your smile appear if you have gum disease.

There’s also discomfort and pain from receding gums because they expose the roots of your teeth to things like hot/cold temperatures.

But the most significant consequence is the loss of teeth and the bone that supports them. This affects how your teeth and jaw function, from chewing and enjoying food to smiling and talking.

Ways our periodontist will treat your gums

Our periodontist, Dr. David Leung, treats gum disease with the utmost in periodontal care in Brampton using various methods, depending, of course, on the seriousness of your case.

Treatments include:

Gum graft

Adding gum tissue from elsewhere in your mouth to the base of a tooth where gums have receded; the added tissue will then grow over the exposed roots on its own.

Ridge preservation

After a tooth is lost or extracted due to infection or inflammation, the space in the gum and bone left by the tooth may heal over and fill in the area on its own. If it doesn’t, natural bone particles or minerals may be added to trigger healing.

Common Periodontal Questions

1. What is the most common periodontal procedure?

Most patients require scaling or root planing to reverse common gum diseases like gingivitis. We advise ongoing maintenance therapy or other periodontal procedures if symptoms continue until the patient heals. 

2. How do you successfully treat periodontal disease?

First, an overall improvement in daily oral hygiene practices. For periodontitis treatments to have a positive effect, good oral hygiene is essential, including a thorough and regular cleaning of your teeth, including the gaps between them and taking excellent care of your gums.

3. What is the top risk factor for periodontal disease?

Smoking and Tobacco Use is the #1 risk factor for getting periodontal disease. Studies show that prolonged tobacco use is one of the main factors in developing periodontal disease.

Contact us to see our periodontist if you experience any of these issues. 

Call 905-791-3867 or email us to book an appointment with Dr. David Leung in Brampton.