Periodontal Therapy

What is periodontal disease?

The work periodontal means “around the tooth” healthy gum tissue fits like a cuff around each tooth. In between this gum tissue and the tooth is a space that is measured at routine check up appointments. In healthy teeth, this measurement is usually three millimeters or less.

Periodontal disease is an infection that affects the tissues and bone that support teeth and gums. As the tissues are damaged, the pockets around the teeth measure in depths greater then three millimeters. There is also bleeding. Generally, the more severe the disease, the greater the pocket depth and bone loss around these areas. This increased pocket depth allows harmful bacteria to grow and make it difficult to clean. If left untreated, a person can loose so much bone around the teeth that it can lead to tooth loss.

Signs and symptoms of periodontal disease:

• Gums bleed easily
• Red, swollen, or tender gums
• Gum tissue has pulled away from the teeth (recession)
• Persistent bad breath
• Pus between gums and teeth
• Separation and /or movement of teeth
• Change in bite or how your teeth come together
• Risks of periodontal disease
• Smoking and chewing tobacco
• Medications (steroids, anti-epilepsy, cancer, blood pressure). Some medications can cause dry mouth resulting in easily irritated tissue and chronic periodontal and teeth conditions.
• Compromised fillings or restorations can hold plaque and trap food, increasing the risk of periodontal disease.
• Puberty, pregnancy and oral contraceptives can change the body’s hormone levels.
• Genetics

Checking for periodontal disease

• A periodontal examination is routinely done at your check up exams by the hygienist and or dentist.
• Dental X-rays – this is a helpful diagnostic tool to assess the bone levels around the teeth and to check for other problems not visible during the clinical examination.

Treating periodontal disease depends on the type and severity of the disease

• Gingivitis – if the disease is caught very early and no damage is done, a general cleaning and oral hygiene instructions will be given to improve home care.
• Periodontal disease – non surgical Scaling and Root Planing
  • A general cleaning is done to get all deposits off the teeth that are ABOVE the gumline.
  • SCALING AND ROOT PLANING then is done to scale and plane the root surfaces of the teeth, thus removing the tartar and plaque build up that is BELOW the gumline.
  • For scaling and root planing, a local anesthetic is given to reduce any discomfort. An ultrasonic scaler is used to remove plaque and tartar down to the base of each periodontal pocket. The tooth’s root surfaces are then smoothed or planed.
  • If there is a lot of infection in the pockets, they may be irrigated out and/or an antibiotic may be placed to help eliminate the area(s) of infection.
  • After completing the scaling and root planing sessions, follow up appointments or periodontal maintenance visit is scheduled. Depending on the severity of your infection, this appointment will be set at regular intervals of usually 3-4 months. This allows us to help you maintain the health of your gums and bone around your teeth and prevent them going back to an active state of infection.