Periodontists in Arlington, Virginia

If you want healthy teeth, you’ve got to have healthy gums. When gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis go untreated, you run the risk of developing gum recession, bone loss, abscesses or even tooth loss.

Enter Dr. Changi! He’s the periodontist at CNS Dental who prevents and fights gum disease and specializes in gum restoration, extractions, dental implants and dentures.

A periodontist is a specialized dentist focused on the health of your gums and the supporting structures that keep your teeth healthy and firmly in place. Periodontists concentrate on diagnosing, preventing and treating various forms of periodontal disease that affect the gums, ligaments and bones in your mouth.

Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease that develops when bacteria is allowed to sit on the gums. It is an early warning sign that periodontal disease could be on the horizon if changes are not made.

People with gingivitis may have swollen or puffy gums that appear bright red in color and are sensitive to the touch. If your gums bleed while brushing or flossing, you almost certainly have gingivitis. Gingivitis can develop after just a couple of weeks of poor oral hygiene.

At this point, the damage done to your periodontal ligaments is permanent. Your periodontitis will not go away, but can be managed effectively with the help of a trained periodontist.

The initial stage of periodontitis is defined by a more pronounced inflammation of the gums. Otherwise, the symptoms of this stage are very similar to gingivitis which makes it difficult to detect from home.

At this stage, the permanent damage to your gums becomes more severe and may even become noticeable at home. Your teeth could shift or become loose as the gums lose their ability to properly support your teeth and hold them in place.

Advanced periodontitis is frightening because it introduces the very real possibility of tooth loss. Your gums will recede, revealing more of the roots of your teeth, and pus can develop along the gums.

If you have reached this stage, it is imperative that you seek professional treatment to avoid losing teeth.

For people with severe gum recession, gum grafting repairs the gum so it can continue to protect your teeth. Our periodontist, Dr. Changi, will take a piece of tissue from the roof of your mouth or other part of your gum and use it to cover the sensitive exposed enamel root.

During osseous surgery, the periodontist will pull back the gum tissue so the root surface can be cleaned of all bacteria. The tooth is then smoothed and reshaped as necessary to get rid of gum pockets that host this bacteria. The gum is then grafted back onto the tooth.

An implant procedure involves surgically placing a small, titanium post into the jawbone as a replacement for a missing tooth root. The post is then covered with a crown or bridge to replace the missing enamel.

All-on-4 dental implants are an alternative form of implants used for patients for whom standard implants are not an option or those who have lost all or most of their teeth in their upper or lower jaw.

During this procedure, our periodontist will place four dental implant posts at specific locations along the jaw that act as anchors for the full arch of replacement teeth. This is a short procedure that can completely restore the look and functionality of your missing teeth.

Also referred to as implant-retained dentures, overdentures are similar to all-on-4 in that the procedure is for people who have lost all or most of their teeth in either their upper or lower jaw. This is also an excellent solution for anyone who uses dentures and commonly experiences slipping or shifting of the denture in their mouth.

For patients looking for a more permanent denture solution, hybrid dentures are secured to the jaw by screws and can only be removed by your periodontist. Hybrid dentures are a good choice if you want a denture that functions more like natural teeth.