22
WBM january 2011
was wrong?”
Although some signs of gum dis-ease
are more obvious, many people
do not experience any symptoms or
pain. In fact, the American Academy
of Periodontology estimates that
approximately 75 percent of adults
in the United States have the disease
in some form, but the majority of
them don’t know they have it. The
first stage and most common indica-tor
of periodontal disease is gingivi-tis.
Though gingivitis is a very mild
form of the disease, it’s important to
see a dental professional for proper
treatment.
“Prevention is absolutely number
one,” says Dr. Cook. “But if you
do have gum disease, address it as
soon as possible. Just like with any
disease, if you treat it early, you save
money in the long run and prevent
other health problems down the
road.”
Cosmetic Options
Once good oral health and
hygiene is achieved and maintained,
there are a variety of options avail-able
to achieve an even better smile.
“If you’re going to invest in any-thing
for yourself, your mouth is
where you should start,” says Dr.
Hackney. Her office offers every-thing
from full veneers to more
basic teeth whitening and contour-ing,
which is a gentle shaping and
smoothing of the teeth. “It is a
quick and easy procedure that gives
your smile a more youthful appear-ance
in only five or ten minutes,”
she says.
For people who are unhappy with
the amount of gum tissue visible
around their teeth, Dr. Cook has
seen great results with a cosmetic
procedure called crown lengthen-ing.
During this form of periodontal
plastic surgery, Dr. Cook reshapes
excess gum and bone tissue to
expose more of the natural tooth,
resulting in a more beautiful and less
“gummy” smile.