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OUR COVID19 RESPONSE
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PERIODONTAL DISEASE THERAPY

SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT

PROGRESSION OF GUM DISEASE

Many adults currently have some form of periodontal disease. It is estimated that approximately 47% of Americans have some form of Periodontal disease. Periodontal diseases range from simple gum inflammation to serious disease that results in major damage to the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth. In the worst cases, teeth are lost.
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Risk Factors for periodontal disease

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Smoking

Need another reason to quit smoking? Smoking is one of the most significant risk factors associated with the development of gum disease. Additionally, smoking can lower the chances of successful treatment.

Hormonal changes in girls/women.

These changes can make gums more sensitive and make it easier for gingivitis to develop. People with diabetes are at higher risk for developing infections, including gum disease.

Other illnesses and their treatments

Diseases such as AIDS and its treatments can also negatively affect the health of gums, as can treatments for cancer. There are hundreds of prescription and over the counter medications that can reduce the flow of saliva, which has a protective effect on the mouth. Without enough saliva, the mouth is vulnerable to infections such as gum disease. And some medicines can cause abnormal overgrowth of the gum tissue; this can make it difficult to keep teeth and gums clean.

Genetic susceptibility

Some people are more prone to severe gum disease than others.

Poor Dental Hygiene

When bacteria stay on the teeth long enough, they form a film called plaque, which eventually hardens to tartar, also called calculus. Tartar build-up can spread below the gum line, which makes the teeth harder to clean. If tartar is not removed, the progression of the disease worsens.

SYMPTOMS OF GUM DISEASE INCLUDE:​

 • Bad breath that won’t go away.

 • Red or swollen gums.

 • Tender or bleeding gums.

 • Painful chewing

 • Loose teeth.

 • Sensitive teeth.

 • Receding gums or longer appearing teeth

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How is Periodontal Disease treated?

The main goal of treatment is to control the infection. The number and types of treatment will vary, depending on the extent of the gum disease. Any type of treatment requires that the patient keep up good daily care at home. The doctor may also suggest changing certain behaviors, such as quitting smoking, as a way to improve treatment outcomes.

Deep Cleaning (Scaling and Root planing)

The dentist, periodontist, or dental hygienist removes the plaque through a deep-cleaning method called scaling and root planing. Scaling means scraping off the tartar from above and below the gum line. Root planing gets rid of rough spots on the tooth root where the germs gather, and helps remove bacteria that contribute to the disease. In some cases a laser may be used to remove plaque and tartar. This procedure can result in less bleeding, swelling, and discomfort compared to traditional deep cleaning methods.
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Medications:

Medications may be used with treatment that includes scaling and root planning, but they cannot always take the place of surgery. Depending on how far the disease has progressed, the dentist or periodontist may still suggest surgical treatment. Some medications, such as a local antibiotic might be suggested to help clear up remaining infections and help areas to heal after treatment. These suggestions are made based on how well a patient responds to initial treatment.
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PAYMENT OPTIONS AT VAUGHN FAMILY DENTAL

MAJOR INSURANCE PLANS

CASH, CHECK & ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS

CONTACT OUR OFFICE FOR OTHER OPTIONS

We are happy to contact your insurance to obtain your benefit information and help you achieve as much coverage as possible. Please update us with any new changes in insurance so we can verify your benefits!

CONTACT US

4437 S. River Blvd. Ste. 110 Independence, Missouri 64055

(816) 350-9988

Mon - Thurs: 8am - 5pm

CONTACT US

ADDRESS

4437 S. River Blvd. Ste. 110 Independence, Missouri 64055

PHONE

(816) 350-9988

HOURS

Mon-Thurs: 8am – 5pm

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Vaughn Family Dental, in Independence, MO, is a state of the art dental facility committed to providing quality dental care for the entire family.

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OUR COVID19 RESPONSE
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OUR COVID-19 RESPONSE AT VAUGHN FAMILY

Dear Patients,

We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. Our community has been through a lot over the last few months, and all of us are looking forward to resuming our normal habits and routines. While many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your safety.

Infection control has always been a top priority for our practice and you may have seen this during your visits to our office. Our infection control processes are made so that when you receive care, it’s both safe and comfortable. We want to tell you about the infection control procedures we follow in our practice in accordance with American Dental Association (ADA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to keep patients and staff safe. Before you enter the examination room, all surfaces, such as the dental chair, cabinet handles & countertops have been cleaned & disinfected which hospital grade disinfectants. Some equipment will have protective covers on them which are replaced after each patient. Disposable instruments & needles are never reused. After each use, all non-disposable dental instruments receive the highest level of medical sterilization available. Before seeing each patient everyone in the treatment team washes their hands & puts on a new pair of gloves. These processes have always been of utmost importance in our office & will continue to be the standards we uphold for the community.

You may see some changes when it is time for your next appointment as well. We made these changes to help protect our patients and staff. For example:

   •  Our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You’ll be asked those same questions again when you are in the office.

   •  When you arrive at the office, please call to inform us that you have arrived. We ask that patients wait in their car until we are ready to see them. This will decrease patient to patient contact.

   •  We will take your temperature after you arrive to ensure no patients are seen with a fever.

   •  We have hand sanitizer that we will ask you to use when you enter the office.

   •  You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, coffee bar, children’s toys and so forth, since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.

   •  We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time.

   •  We are also asking patients to not bring additional people with them to their appointment such as significant others or children unless they are also being seen that day.

We look forward to seeing you again and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the steps we take to keep you, and every patient, safe in our practice.

Thank you for being our patient. We value your trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back our patients, neighbors and friends.

Sincerely,

Dr. Vaughn and Team