Treatment for periodontal disease
Once you are diagnosed with periodontal disease, there are certain standard procedures that have to be followed in order to prevent it from progressing any further. Dentists and periodontists recommend different steps in order to ensure that the damage done to the gums is controlled or repaired as much as possible. Your periodontist, dentist or oral hygienist will make a thorough examination of your teeth and gums before generating a detailed dental health plan. Depending on the severity of the periodontal disease as well as the condition of teeth and gums, the dentist or periodontist will prescribe medication or recommend surgery as needed.
Initially, periodontitis is treated by scaling the affected area. This is a deep cleaning procedure involving the use of scalers and curettes. Dentists, in fact, use special ultra sonic instruments that make use vibrating movements to break away any calcified plaque and tartar from the different regions of the teeth. Root planing is performed to remove the rough edges created on the tooth root where bacteria have accumulated.
Severe gingivitis, when not treated properly, can lead to periodontal disease. Since periodontitis causes bone loss, it is necessary to determine the extent of damage. The defects that are caused by periodontitis include horizontal dental loss where there is a general decay of bone all across the tooth structure, which hampers the bone height. When the bone loss involves a more localized area where the height of the bone is not affected, it is called a vertical defect. These defects can be treated with the help of bone grafting performed by the dental care specialist. However, bone grafts are usually more successful in correcting vertical defects rather than horizontal ones.
Dentists may also make use of antibiotics to treat different forms of periodontal disease. Another alternative is to use anti-calculus solutions and tartar control toothpastes that can break down tartar collected in and around the gum lines, also called the sub-gingival region. This augments the process of removal of harmful bacteria, thus helping in slowing down the periodontal disease.
A dental hygienist or periodontist will examine the medical history of the patient to explore for any periodontal problems. The pockets formed due to infection caused by periodontitis need to be cleaned thoroughly. The periodontist or dental care specialist will then find out the severity of the periodontal disease with a tool called a periodontal probe. Applying this equipment, the depth of the existing pockets is measured.
If the periodontal probe goes 3 millimeters below the gum line, the periodontitis is less severe and the patient can usually clean it at home. However, if this periodontal pocket is deeper then 3mm, it is advisable to opt for professional help. There are a number of hand-held devices like cavitrons used to clean such pockets. These pockets, however, sometimes can be as deep as 6 to 7 mm. In such cases, surgery is typically recommended; otherwise, there can be severe bone loss in the region.
Patients with periodontal pockets that are more then 5 mm should seek immediate attention, otherwise they risk eventual tooth loss. Along with these pocket-reducing procedures, there are three other kinds of surgical treatments that are sometimes used to correct periodontal disease. These dental care treatments include crown lengthening surgery, soft tissue grafting and other regenerative dental procedures. A number of tissue stimulating proteins may be used in order to augment the body’s natural regenerative capability. Some cosmetic dental procedures, such as dental implants or laser therapy may also be used to deal with periodontal disease.
Please consult a dentist or periodontist if you have more questions about periodontal disease, periodontitis, gum disease or other dental problems. Click here to find a dentist in your area. Enter your ZIP code below to find a money-saving discount dental plan in your area.
© 2008 DentalPlans.com