Periodontitis Treatment
There are several treatments to improve and maintain the health and appearance of your gums.
About Periodontitis Treatment
Non-surgical treatments (i.e. professional hygiene treatment) and anti-microbial therapies are great for early phases of Periodontitis. However, once the disease has advanced and the patients have become unresponsive to non-surgical treatments, a periodontal surgery is needed.
The main purpose of periodontal surgery is to cleanse the site, reduce pocket depths, and re-establish soft tissue contour. These results can then be maintained through regular hygiene appointments. Without consistent hygiene cleanings for 3 months, the disease will progress and will eventually lead to teeth and bone loss.
Periodontal surgery in one site takes approximately one hour. Multiple sites will take a longer time. Sutures are placed to maintain stability in the area while it heals. After two weeks, you can now continue to eat normally. However, you should know that it takes up to 6 weeks for the gums to return to their normal, stable state. The known consequences of periodontal surgery are additional tooth spaces, longer teeth, and short-lived teeth sensitivity.
If you’re anxious about surgical treatments, then you may be subjected to sedation. We have different sedation options ranging from nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to full sleep sedation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Whenever bacterial infection gets worse around teeth, it can lead to Periodontitis. There are many factors leading to Periodontitis such as medical condition, lack of maintenance, and oral hygiene inadequacies.
The major risk factors of Periodontitis are the following:
- Poor dental hygiene
- Poorly controlled diabetes
- Smoking
- Poor nutrition
- Non-compliance with prescribed hygiene maintenance
Other risk factors include:
- Aging
- Genetic predisposition
- Systemic diseases
- Stress
- Puberty
- Hormonal changes
- Pregnancy
- Substance abuse
- HIV
- Certain medications
- Patient symptoms may include: pain, unstable tooth, bad taste, and bleeding gums. It is important to note that there may be no symptoms in some cases.
- Signs observed by your dentist or hygienist include: suppuration (pus), bleeding, progressive bone loss, and deep probing depths around teeth.
To protect your oral health, you need to learn how to recognize the signs of infection. Periodontal disease symptoms include:
- Reddening and inflamed gums
- bleeding gums
- Receding gums
- Loose teeth
- Chronic bad breath or Halitosis
- Teeth & gum supporation
- Bite changes
There are multiple ways in which periodontitis can be addressed – both surgically and non-surgically. The precise treatment plan depends on your unique conditions and needs. In most cases, a regular hygiene plan with antimicrobial and anti-microbiotic therapies are advised. In other cases, howeverm periodontal surgery is needed.
Oftentimes, the initial symptoms of Periodontitis are very mild and may not be noticed at all. Without treatment, the disease progresses and the bacteria will affect your teeth, bone, and gums. Undoing the damage will take more time and expenses.
Same as with our teeth, bacterial infections can affect the tissue or the implant site. This is also known as peri-implantitis, Adhering to your prescribed hygiene plan is the most important action to prevent this from happening. If you think you may have a problem with your implant/s, contact us immediately and we will do our best to help you.