Periodontal Therapy
Periodontal Therapy
Periodontal Disease, Cause & Symptoms
Periodontal Disease Treatment
Supportive Periodontal Treatment
(Maintenance)
WHAT IS PERIODONTAL DISEASE?
"Perio" means around, and "dontal" refers to teeth. Periodontal diseases are infections of the supporting structures around the teeth, which include the gums, periodontal ligament and the bone, surrounding each tooth. A Periodontist is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
Periodontitis, also generally called gum disease or periodontal disease, begins with bacterial growth in your mouth and may end - if not properly treated - with tooth loss due to destruction of the tissue that surrounds your teeth.
WHAT IS THE MAIN CAUSE OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE?
Periodontal disease is a multifactorial disease most commonly caused by bacterial plaque and calculus.
Dental plaque is the sticky substancethat constantly forms on your teeth due to poor oral hygiene. It contains bacteria which normally inhabit the mouth. If the plaque is not removed, it hardens and becomes calculus which cannot be removed with simple brushing.
In most cases, plaque is the primary cause; however smoking, systemic diseases, diabetes, stress, medications, genetic susceptibility and hormonal changes during pregnancyare some of the contributing factors to gum disease.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF PERIODONTAL DISEASE?
Without treatment the periodontal disease gets progressively worse. The clinical signs of periodontitis include swollen, puffy, bleeding and inflamed gums. Furthermore, the alveolar bone which surrounds the teeth is lost leading to receding gums. The teeth show increased mobility, become loose and can drift slightly from their original position. If this condition is left untreated, it can result in tooth loss.
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 initial consultation includes a careful examination of your gums and teeth, oral cancer screen and comprehensive radiographs (x-ray). A detailed treatment plan will be formulated specifically for you.
At the first stage, it is critically important to teach the patient techniques in order to improve their dental hygiene. If the periodontitis is not too advanced, treatment essentially consists of removal of the bacterial plaque and calculus which has spread down the root of the tooth below the gums.
The initial treatment consists of a non-surgical approach aiming to stabilise the disease by professional cleaning of teeth both above and below the gum. This will remove the plaque and calculus from poorly accessible areas.
In the majority of cases simple conservative (non-surgical) therapy stabilises the periodontal disease. In more advanced cases periodontal surgery may be required to deal with deep-seated areas of inflammation and in some cases, we may be able to regenerate some of the bone that has been lost.
If you have already lost a tooth or teeth to periodontal disease, you may want to consider dental implants (maybe link to dental implants in our website) as a permanent tooth replacement option.
MAINTENANCE
It is essential that the improvements achieved are maintained. The usual recall visit after the periodontal treatment is every 3 months. The most important factor in maintaining excellent gum health is effective daily plaque removal.