Periodontitis is a technical name for advanced gum disease. The dentists at the Family Dentistry of Deerfield Beach , states that nearly half of all Americans older than 30 are impacted by it. The condition is common, and tooth loss is typically the regretful result when it goes untreated. However, there are many successful treatment possibilities for advanced periodontal disease, losing your teeth doesn’t have to have to happen if your gumline isn’t healthy.
From Gingivitis To Periodontitis
Gum disease is a progressive ailment, and a sneaky one. The initial stage is known as gingivitis, where bacterial plaque isn’t removed from the teeth enough. Bleeding, swollen, or red gums are often telltale symptoms of the infection, although the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research says that this condition easily gets reversed through routine flossing and brushing along with professional dental cleanings.
However, if left untreated, gingivitis is able to progress into a condition called periodontitis, and that’s more serious. When bacterial plaque builds up, there are toxins with that. They don’t just impact your actual gum tissue, but actually start affecting the very ligaments and bone tissue which support your mouth. When the infection starts causing disease to supporting and bone tissues, your teeth can eventually get loose, needing either surgical treatment or removal. Still, even an advanced case of periodontal disease doesn’t need to progress this far.
Nonsurgical Treatment Is Possible
Your initial step in the treatment of periodontitis is a nonsurgical and conservative treatment known as SRP, or scaling and root planing. A dental hygienist or dentist can provide this particular treatment through scraping and then removing tartar and plaque off both your teeth and root surfaces through scaling, and then doing smoothing away of any roughness on the roots so that bacteria is prevented from gathering again. Per the Family Dentistry of Deerfield Beach, the treatment of SRP might take multiple visits, as well as local anesthetic to prevent your discomfort. Following this process, your gums are going to heal and then reattach themselves to the healthier and cleaner surfaces of your teeth. Within just weeks, your dentist can evaluate the healing you do and then determine if any more treatment proves necessary.
Should you require additional treatment, different periodontal surgeries are described by the American Academy of Periodontology which might help halt your periodontal disease from progressing:
The Pocket Reduction Procedure
Following scaling and root planing, if your gum tissue isn’t snugly fit around your teeth and you’re not able to keep your deep pocket area clean, then you might be a candidate for flap surgery or periodontal pocket reduction. When the gum tissue is folded back, then your periodontist or dentist is able to remove infectious bacteria and then smooth out areas of damaged bone so that gum tissue can then reattach to healthier bone.
Gum Grafting
Roots that get exposed due to recessed gums might get covered with gum grafts, since gum tissue gets taken from your own palate or even another source and then utilized to cover up the roots of a tooth or multiple teeth. When exposed roots get covered, it helps cut down on sensitivity and provides your roots protection from decay, which should stop any more bone loss or gum recession from happening.
Regeneration Procedures
Bone grafting is one surgical procedure which promotes bone growth in areas where the bone was destroyed by periodontal disease. In this kind of treatment, your periodontist or dentist eliminates bacteria and then either places synthetic or natural bone in an area of loss, alongside tissue-stimulating proteins that will help your body regrown tissue and bone effectively.
Periodontal Maintenance
Anyone that’s undergone treatment for something like advanced periodontal disease certainly knows that meticulous home care is essential to preventing it from coming up again. Personal oral care is a central aspect of any treatment plan in this area, and so your dental hygienist or dentist is going to spend a good bit of time going over proper flossing and brushing techniques at home with you. They might recommend particular products that have prescription-strength antimicrobial mouthwash in order to cut down on the bacteria in the harder-to-reach parts of your mouth.
Don’t smoke, as this inhibits healing. Your dentist might also suggest keeping a closer eye on your periodontal health with increased frequency of checkups and cleanings. Remember that when dealing with something like periodontal disease, every ounce of prevention is worth at least a pound of cure, and often cheaper and less painful to boot. For more information, visit: http://familydentistryofsouthflorida.com/locations/dentist-deerfield-beach-fl/
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