All Smiles Family Dentistry - Dentures, Extractions, Dental Implants, Quick Dentures
#Periodontal Therapy For Healthy Gums and Teeth
If you've noticed bleeding, sore, or swollen gums, bad breath that won't go away, loose teeth, or gaps forming between your teeth, you may be suffering from periodontal disease, also known as gum disease. Left untreated, **periodontal disease** can lead to painful abscessed teeth, loose teeth that need to be extracted, and even more health issues. The good news is, **periodontal therapy** can help get your gums and your smile healthy again.
##What is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal disease is an infection affecting the tissues surrounding your teeth. It's caused by bacteria accumulating in dental plaque due to poor oral hygiene. If not treated properly, the inflammation caused by the bacteria can spread deep below the gumline into the periodontal pockets. As your body's immune system fights the infection, your gums pull away from your teeth, forming pockets that then become infected.
**Periodontal disease** progresses in stages, starting with gingivitis, where your gums become inflamed and bleed easily during brushing and flossing. At this early stage, gingivitis is reversible with professional treatment and improved daily oral hygiene habits. However, without treatment, gingivitis can lead to more destructive types of periodontitis.
##Advanced Periodontal Disease Destroys Bone and Tissue
Untreated gingivitis gives way to chronic periodontitis, where not only your gums become affected - your jawbone and other supporting tissues sustaining your teeth also erode. The pockets around the teeth deepen as bacteria spreads and grow. Your teeth may loosen significantly or even require extraction if the supporting bone structure deteriorates too much.
Periodontitis also comes in "aggressive" forms that create destruction and symptoms very quickly. Necrotizing periodontal disease causes necrosis or death of gum tissues, creating severe pain, bad odor, and rapid loss of attachment between teeth and gums that is noticeable within weeks or months.
##The Consequences of Living with Periodontal Disease
Living with active moderate or advanced periodontal disease means you'll likely experience increasingly worsening symptoms like:
- Red, swollen, tender gums that bleed when brushing or flossing
- Gums separating from the teeth, leaving pockets that harbor infection
- Pus discharge from infected pockets
- Loose teeth that shift out of place or require extraction
- Bad breath that doesn't resolve with brushing and regular oral care
- Not only do these problems create pain and social concerns - you may also find it increasingly difficult to eat as chewing becomes uncomfortable or teeth become too loose. Periodontal disease left untreated can make a significant, detrimental impact on your oral health and comfort.
##Treating and Curing Periodontal Disease
While daily oral hygiene can help gingivitis, once periodontitis sets in, professional periodontal therapy is necessary to remove infection and restore health to gum tissues and bone structures. A periodontist will begin by performing a thorough periodontal examination, measuring pocket depths around all teeth, visually inspecting inflammation and bone loss, and may include x-rays. From these assessments, your periodontist can determine the type, location, and severity of your periodontal disease, and create a customized treatment plan.
In most cases, the first phase of periodontal therapy consists of a deep scaling and root planning procedure. After numbing the area with local anesthesia, your periodontist uses specialized dental instruments to carefully debride diseased tissue and tartar from above and below your gumline, smoothing away bacterial biofilm and plaque from tooth roots and surrounding areas. This initial cleansing reduces bacteria and inflammation and sets the stage for healing.
Following initial treatment, periodontal therapy continues with regular periodontal maintenance visits. These include both thorough teeth cleanings and periodontal evaluations to monitor affected areas and ensure stabilization. In more severe cases, periodontal therapy may also involve:
- Medications or antimicrobials to manage infection
- Laser treatments to decontaminate diseased pockets
- Regenerative procedures to restore bone and tissues lost to disease
- Soft tissue grafts to reinforce thin or receded gums
- Crown lengthening procedures to expose more tooth structure and healthier tissue
The goal of professional **periodontal treatment** is to effectively arrest and stabilize the disease before too much tissue and bone structure deteriorates. From there, proper daily oral hygiene and regular dental cleanings help manage the condition long term. Successfully treated cases of periodontitis can have positive prognosis and patients can go on to enjoy many more years with healthy natural teeth.
##Restore Your Oral Health
If you think you may have periodontal disease, step one is to schedule a full periodontal examination. Together with your dentist or periodontist, you can understand the full scope of your unique situation and begin planning the most effective course of **professional periodontal therapy**. Consistent treatment coupled with improved oral hygiene can help resolve symptoms, restore health to your gums, protect your teeth, and resolve even advanced cases of periodontitis. With the right plan, most patients find their gum health improves, bad breath resolves, and teeth feel stronger - bringing back comfort and confidence.
Don't wait with concerns about your gums or oral health. Take action today to treat periodontal disease for healthier mouth now and into the future. Contact a skilled local periodontal office to schedule your appointment.
No comments:
Post a Comment