Treatment of gum disease is based on the stage or severity of the disease and how a patient has responded to previous treatment. The overall health of the patient may also come into play in determining how to treat periodontal or gum disease.
Not treated, gum disease progresses and worsens to a point where you could lose your tooth, have the jawbone deteriorate, and experience facial structure changes suck as a sunken-in look. After evaluation, a dentist may recommend various non-surgical therapies or even surgical treatments for advanced gum disease.
Non-Surgical Treatment
A dentist will first employ a non-surgical approach to the treatment of periodontal disease. Professional cleaning or prophylaxis may be done to remove tartar and plaque buildup. Prophylaxis involves removing plaque and tartar from the enamel up to the gumline.
Scaling and root planing is a type of deep cleaning and is conducted under local anesthesia. A dentist scrapes away hardened plaque and tartar from below and above the gumline in a process called scaling. The dentist does root planing, which involves smoothening any rough or dented areas on the root to eliminate spots where bacteria could lodge.
Once scaling and planing are done, you have a clean tooth root surface that allows gums to begin reattaching to the teeth. A dentist may also administer antibiotics in between the teeth surface and gums in the areas known as periodontal pockets. The antibiotics help kill bacteria that contribute to gum disease.
Surgical Treatment
Once periodontal disease has worsened, a dentist can perform surgery to clean the tooth roots and help rebuild the gums which have suffered from an extensive recession. Flap or pocket reduction surgery lifts the gums back, allowing the removal of tartar, and then placing back the gum tissue.
Where the periodontal disease has destroyed the bone, a bone graft can be done to re-engineer a new bone growth. Similarly, if the tooth root is exposed, soft tissue grafts can help rebuild the receded areas. Talk to us if you have periodontal disease to see what treatment to employ to combat and manage the condition.
Treatment of gum disease is based on the stage or severity of the disease and how a patient has responded to previous treatment. The overall health of the patient may also come into play in determining how to treat periodontal or gum disease.