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Gum
Disease or
Periodontal Disease Treatment
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Gum disease or
periodontal disease is a chronic
inflammation and infection of the gums and
surrounding tissue. Gum disease is the most
common cause of adult tooth loss in most
industrialized countries. Studies have shown
that patients with periodontal disease are
at greater risk for heart disease, lung
disease and other systemic disorders.
The primary cause of gum disease is the
bacterial plaque that constantly forms on
the teeth. Plaque should be removed each day
by brushing and flossing, otherwise it
hardens into a rough, porous substance
called tartar. This causes the breakdown of
the fibers that hold the gums tightly to the
teeth, creating periodontal pockets, which
fill with even more toxins and bacteria. As
the disease progresses, pockets extend
deeper and the bacteria moves down until the
bone that holds the tooth in place is
destroyed. The tooth eventually will fall
out or require extraction
Types of Gum Disease Treatment
Gum disease treatment can be done in several
different ways. Gum disease treatment
depends on the stage of disease and range
from non-surgical therapies that control
bacterial growth to surgery to restore
supportive tissues.
Non-Surgical
Cleaning of Teeth : In this gum
disease treatment the plaque and tartar are
removed from above and below the gum line of
all the teeth
Teeth Scaling : Scaling is a
procedure to remove calculus, a mixture of
tartar and plaque contaminated by bacterial
toxins, micro-organisms, and other organic
residue from around and below the gum line.
Removing this calculus leaves a root surface
that is that is rough and irregular.
Root Planing : Scraping and smoothing
the root surfaces of the teeth with thin
curettes is done in this gum disease
treatment just after scaling, so that the
gum tissue can more firmly reattach to roots
that are clean and smooth to prevent tooth
loss and sensitivity problems.
Surgical
Flap Surgery : A type of surgical gum
disease treatment is flap surgery. In
advanced gum disease, when scaling and root
planing have been unsuccessful in stopping
the disease, or when there has been bone
loss that needs to be surgically corrected,
then the dentist may elect to perform
periodontal flap surgery. In flap surgery,
under local anesthesia, small incisions are
made in the gum, so that it can be lifted
back to expose the tooth and bone. After
cleaning and disinfecting, the flaps are
then reattached to the adjacent gums with
stitches.
Bone grafts : This gum disease
treatment involves using fragments of bone,
synthetic bone, or donated bone to replace
bone destroyed by gum disease. The grafts
serve as a platform for the regrowth of
bone, which restores stability to teeth. New
technology, called tissue engineering,
encourages your own body to regenerate bone
and tissue at an accelerated rate.
Soft tissue grafts : Periodontal
surgery procedures involving the soft tissue
include gingivectomy, gingivoplasty,
periodontal flap, and soft tissue graft
procedures. Surgery of the hard tissue
includes osseous surgery, metallic implants,
root amputations, hemisections, and
bicuspidization.
Guided tissue regeneration : This gum
treatment is done when the bone supporting
your teeth has been destroyed. Guided tissue
regeneration procedure stimulates bone and
gum tissue growth (see also bone grafts
above).
Bone surgery : Smoothes shallow
craters in the bone due to moderate and
advanced bone loss. Following flap surgery,
the bone around the tooth is reshaped to
decrease the craters. This makes it harder
for bacteria to collect and grow.
In some patients, the non-surgical gum
disease treatment like scaling and root
planing is all that is needed. Surgery is
needed when the tissue around your teeth is
unhealthy and cannot be repaired with
non-surgical options.
Gum disease treatment by medication
Gum disease treatment by medication such as
antibiotics can be used either in addition
to surgery or alone, to reduce bacteria
associated with periodontal disease.
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