Bleeding gums, recession, bone loss, loose teeth, and advanced gum disease often need more than routine dental care. LPS Dental provides specialized periodontal care led by Dr. Robert Baima, a board-certified periodontist with advanced training in periodontics, prosthodontics, and dental implantology. We evaluate the tissues supporting your teeth, treat periodontal disease according to its severity, and coordinate care with the rest of your dental plan.
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Bleeding gums, recession, bone loss, loose teeth, and advanced gum disease often need more than routine dental care. LPS Dental provides specialized periodontal care led by Dr. Robert Baima, a board-certified periodontist with advanced training in periodontics, prosthodontics, and dental implantology. We evaluate the tissues supporting your teeth, treat periodontal disease according to its severity, and coordinate care with the rest of your dental plan.
A periodontal evaluation looks beyond whether your gums appear red or bleed. We measure the spaces around the teeth, evaluate recession, look for inflammation and tooth mobility, review bone levels on appropriate dental imaging, and consider medical and behavioral factors that can affect periodontal health. Those findings tell us whether you have gingivitis, periodontitis, gum recession without active disease, or another condition that needs a different approach.
When periodontal disease extends below the gumline, routine cleaning may not reach the areas that need treatment. Scaling and root planing, sometimes called a deep cleaning, removes bacterial deposits and hardened buildup from below the gums and cleans the root surfaces. For some patients, this is the primary active treatment needed before moving into periodontal maintenance.
A receding gumline can expose the root of a tooth, make the tooth appear longer, create sensitivity, and leave the root surface more vulnerable. Recession can have several causes, including periodontal disease, tooth position, aggressive brushing, thin gum tissue, and other factors. Treatment depends on the cause and severity. In selected cases, periodontal grafting or another root-coverage procedure may be considered.
Advanced periodontal disease can create deeper pockets and damage the bone supporting the teeth. When non-surgical treatment cannot adequately control the problem, periodontal surgery may be considered. Depending on the defect, treatment may focus on gaining access for thorough cleaning, reshaping or managing affected tissues, or using regenerative techniques in areas where rebuilding lost support may be possible.
Bone can be lost because of periodontal disease, tooth extraction, trauma, or long-standing tooth loss. Bone grafting may be recommended when an area needs additional support for periodontal treatment or future dental implant placement. Not every area of bone loss can or should be grafted. Imaging and examination help determine whether regeneration is realistic.
Periodontists receive advanced training in the gum and bone tissues that support dental implants. Dr. Baima's background includes advanced education in Dental Implantology as well as Periodontics and Prosthodontics, allowing implant planning to consider the surgical foundation and the restoration that will eventually sit above it.
Tell us what you notice. The recommendation comes after we understand the problem.
Treatment should look like your smile, not a one-size-fits-all result.
We evaluate the health of the teeth and gums, existing restorations, tooth position, and bite before treatment.
We explain why something is recommended, what alternatives exist, and what treatment involves before you decide.
Maybe your gums bleed every time you floss. Perhaps one tooth suddenly looks longer. Maybe your general dentist noticed deeper pockets or bone loss on an X-ray and recommended specialty care. We start with what brought you in.
Periodontal health is affected by more than brushing habits. Smoking and other nicotine use, diabetes, certain medications, immune conditions, previous periodontal disease, family history, and past dental treatment can all influence the way we evaluate risk and healing. Bring an accurate medical history with you.
We evaluate inflammation, recession, periodontal pocket depths, tooth mobility, and other clinical findings. We also look at plaque accumulation, existing restorations, tooth position, and areas that may be particularly difficult to maintain.
Appropriate dental imaging helps us understand what is happening beneath the gumline. Bone loss patterns can tell us a great deal about the severity and distribution of periodontal disease and whether certain teeth have lost significant support. 05 Build the Treatment Plan Some patients need improved preventive care. Others need scaling and root planing. More advanced disease may require surgical or regenerative treatment. If recession, implants, or bone grafting are part of the concern, those procedures are planned according to the condition of the individual site. You should understand what problem each recommendation is intended to solve. 06 Reevaluate and Maintain Periodontal treatment needs follow-up. After active therapy, we evaluate how the tissues responded and determine whether additional treatment is necessary. Once the condition is stable, periodontal maintenance is scheduled according to your individual risk and disease history.
LPS Dental's roots in Chicago go back to 1999, when Dr. Jack Manikowski opened Lincoln Park Smiles. Today, LPS Dental has three Chicago offices and a team whose experience extends across cosmetic, restorative, implant, periodontal, prosthodontic, and general dentistry.
It is normal to have questions before treatment. Here are some of the things patients often want to understand first.
A periodontist is a dentist who completes additional specialty education focused on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease and the tissues supporting the teeth. Periodontists also receive advanced training related to dental implant placement and procedures involving gum and supporting bone.
A general dentist provides broad preventive, restorative, and diagnostic dental care. A periodontist has additional specialty training focused on gums, supporting bone, periodontal disease, and related surgical procedures. General dentists often manage routine gum health and may treat mild periodontal problems, while more advanced or complex cases may be referred to a periodontist.
Not necessarily. Some patients are referred by their general dentist after gum disease, recession, bone loss, or an implant-related concern is identified. You can also contact LPS Dental directly if you are concerned about your gums or have already been told you need periodontal treatment. Insurance requirements can vary, so our team can help you check whether your individual plan requires a referral.
Possible signs include gums that bleed easily, persistent swelling or redness, gum recession, bad breath, pus around the gums, loose teeth, and changes in the way teeth fit together. Periodontitis can also progress with few noticeable symptoms, which is why periodontal measurements and dental imaging are important.
Occasional bleeding after a change in flossing habits can occur, but gums that bleed repeatedly should not simply be considered normal. Frequent bleeding can be a sign of inflammation and deserves evaluation, particularly when it is accompanied by swelling, recession, or other changes.
Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums without the attachment and supporting bone loss associated with periodontitis. The gums may be red, swollen, or bleed easily. When addressed appropriately, gingivitis can often be reversed before it progresses to more destructive periodontal disease.
Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the tissues and bone that support the teeth. As the disease progresses, periodontal attachment and supporting bone can be lost. Treatment focuses on controlling the disease, reducing inflammation and bacterial deposits, maintaining cleanable conditions, and preserving the teeth when possible.
Treatment can control periodontal disease and help stabilize the tissues, but bone and attachment already destroyed by periodontitis do not simply return to their original state. Selected periodontal defects may be candidates for regenerative treatment. Long-term maintenance is important because patients with a history of periodontitis remain at risk for recurrence.
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