Gingivitis - Periodontitis

Symptoms - Young Adults

Most of us, as we age past the 40 year mark, will have some form of gum infection, disease or gingivitis. Statistically, it is reported that 75% of the adult population has it, had it or will have it.

At younger ages, since it goes unnoticed for most people, the cumulative effects are only slight. It is commonplace for people to interpret minor symptoms as something related to how they brush their teeth, the type of tooth paste used or even dietary habits.

And, since avoidance behavior is not uncommon for reasonable, intelligent adults, we may fail to monitor and follow up on symptoms that may be every-so-slightly increasing.

It is the misleading lack of observable change that reinforces the belief that things are "sort of" OK. Sporadic bleeding gums is a good example of this event.

Symptoms - Older Adults

For older patients who have had more time for symptoms to accumulate or increase in frequency... the risk of not paying attention to unusual symptoms or the advice of a dentist to start treating the early symptoms can become much more serious.

While younger patients have "time on their side"...... older patients, in general terms, may not. The length of time a gum infection has been left untreated oftentimes indicates what types of minimally invasive or non invasive treatments Dr. Marinic can use to get rid of the impending threat of loss of tissue, jawbone or actual teeth.

Waiting Too Long - Severe Bone Loss

Self Diagnosis Check List

The following list represents a few of tell tale signs of gum disease:

Persistent bad breath
Swollen or red gums
Bleeding, tender gum tissue
Painful chewing
Loose teeth
Sensitive teeth

When the symptoms are mild, Gingivitis is typically diagnosed. Dr. Marinic is able to successfully treat Gingivitis conditions with a good prognosis of totally eliminating the infection and preventing hard and soft tissue loss.

Minimally Invasive Treatment Choices

Diagnosed and treated early enough, popular proven products including Arestin, Periochip, Antibiotic Rinses in conjunction with scaling and root planing. Arestin and Periochip contain tetracycline compounds that work to eradicate the infection.

Diode Laser treatments are also available as a treatment possibility for some patients.

Advanced Stages of Gum Infection

Minimally Invasive and Non Surgical treatments are also provided by Dr. Marinic for patients with more evidence of infected tissues. Perio Protect®, an FDA approved product, minimizes or eliminates the need for surgical procedures.

Chicago IL Periodontist

The combination of a specialized tray (similar to a teeth whitening tray) fits snugly onto the arch and distributes an antibiotic formula. The benefits of this treatment include:

No Shots
No Pain
No Painful Scraping
No Lengthy Appointments
No Expensive Surgery

The Perio Protect system, which is very easy to use, has been proven (over 16 years of research and clinical trials) to kill harmful bacteria within 72 hours.

Inflammation and swelling become more controlled which eventually leads to the elimination of bleeding gums. Foul breath, for many patients, is eliminated.

Click on picture to see how it works

How it Works

Dr. Marinic will fit you with custom made mouth-pieces (trays), similar to athletic mouthguards. They’re very thin, soft, and comfortable!

A special gel is placed inside of your custom-made trays. This gel seeps above and below the gumline eliminating all calculus (tartar) and bacteria.

You will be instructed on the frequency of wear, based on your diagnosis. The entire treatment is done in the comfort of your own home. This unique treatment also whitens your teeth and freshens your breath, while reducing cavities and gum disease.

At each subsequent dental visit, our hygienist will gently remove any remaining softened deposits and evaluate the progress of your healing. Your dental visits will be quick, easy, and painless.

Imagine.... a new way of eliminating most gingival and connective tissue disease problems without traditional perio surgery. Click here to watch and hear how PerioProtect is used.

Severe Periodontitis

Loose or shifting teeth, exposed root structures, excessive gum recession and extremely sensitive or painful gum tissues usually hallmark the need for immediate treatment.

Bone loss and impending tooth loss can, for some patients, be controlled somewhat. Dr. Marinic's access to a variety of products and technologies enables him to provide a variety of treatment options that can prevent conditions from worsening.

Avoidance Prevention

In complex cases, treatment choices can be selected to provide the most effective method for different areas of infection, assuring the minimization of potential loss.

Many patients have the experience of understanding the need for immediate treatment, but have other circumstances that prevent obtaining the treatment that can prevent the most loss. Insurance processing, family health needs, scheduling conflicts and the timing of financial resources interfere with treatment which can complicate the impact of ongoing disease.

As with many of our reconstructive procedures that are time intensive, Dr. Marinic is able to create treatment modules that are followed sequentially and create the greatest amount of treatment result within a given time frame.

Treatment delays (the sensible ones) are therefore built into the overall schedule of treatments, providing the best degree of convenience, comfort and affordability. For more details read our section on Preventing Worse.