About Periodontal Therapy
You can prevent tooth loss even as you grow old. Following a daily oral hygiene regimen for your teeth and gums is an absolute necessity if you want to preserve your oral health and regain your bright smile. It isn’t always sufficient, however. Unfortunately, many factors affect our oral health that cannot be helped by routine efforts alone. Gum disease can lead to tooth loss if it is not treated early enough with professional assistance. It highlights the importance of seeing your dentist regularly to avoid any potentially risky conditions from worsening. When your dentist notices gum disease symptoms, he or she will recommend periodontal surgery or more deep and often cleaning appointments by your hygienist.
Gum therapy can be done in various ways, but all have the same goal of restoring your gum to its good condition. When bacteria from built-up dental plaque grows and causes gum inflammation, periodontal disease occurs. Gum disease will weaken the gums’ grip on your teeth if left untreated, and in extreme cases, both the gums and bone tissues will be weakened to the point that the tooth cannot be sustained and will fall out. Depending on the seriousness of the infection, quick cleaning and root planning , flap surgeries or gum grafting can be used to treat the inflammation of the gums which is called gingivitis and if worsen becomes periodontitis.
What is Periodontal Therapy?
Periodontal therapy is the umbrella word for several therapies used to treat gum disease. Periodontal care helps to improve the health of the teeth and gums to prevent tooth loss. Gum disease can be treated surgically as well as non-surgically. Your gum and also medical condition will dictate the treatment you receive, but we will aim to avoid invasive procedures wherever possible.
Periodontal Therapy Procedures
Here are the various surgical and non-surgical treatment methods done for gum disease and tooth loss prevention.
Scaling and Root-Planing
Scaling and root planing are deep-cleaning techniques best performed while gum disease is in its early stages. It handles the problem using hand scalers and possible ultrasonic treatments to extract plaque and tartar from under the gum surface.
Gum Grafting
Grafting is used to replace gums or bone tissue that has been receded or damaged due to gum disease. The tissue is taken from one section of the mouth and stitched to the needed spot. The tissue is usually derived from the palate or roof of the mouth, but it can also be obtained from an external natural or synthetic source which has been treated for this purpose. The new tissue will gradually integrate with the existing structure.
Periodontal Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery is a form of surgery that involves reshaping tissue and bones. It is mainly done for aesthetic reasons.
Periodontal Laser Treatment
Periodontal laser procedures can also be performed during routine surgery since they are a less invasive procedure that causes mild pain and gum reduction.
Crown Lengthening Surgery
When there is too much gum covering the teeth or when a tooth breaks deep under the gum level , crown lengthening surgery is done. It reveals parts of the tooth structure to improve the smile’s appearance or prepare the teeth for new dental crowns.
Dental Implants
In some instances, gum disease has advanced to the point that the affected teeth are irreversibly damaged. Dental implants are the only solution in this case. The affected teeth are removed,bone graft performed and prosthetic teeth are inserted in their place. A titanium post is fastened to the jaw bone under the gum after extraction. The jaw bone fuses and adapts to the metal to be connected over time. A prosthetic and natural-looking tooth crown will be attached to the post instead of the extracted tooth, these procedures might take up a few months.
When Can Surgery Be Avoided?
Non-surgical periodontal therapies are available, but they may only be appropriate for you depending on how far the gum disease has progressed. Scaling and root planing will suffice if your gum disease is mild to moderate. It is a non-surgical technique for extracting plaque from the tooth root and under the gum line. The root’s surface would also be smoothed to prevent bacteria from accumulating uneven surfaces and sticking to them.
What Are the Surgical Options?
Surgical treatments are available for those whose gums and teeth have been severely affected by gum disease. Gum grafts are used when the gums have receded too much, and the tooth roots need to be preserved. Gum tissue is taken from an appropriate part of the mouth and applied to the affected region. Gum flap surgery is another treatment choice. To obtain access to the roots and clean them, the gums are cut and pulled back. Teeth roots and diseased bone will be thoroughly cleaned up and gums will be placed back to their position and fixed with sutures.
If you have periodontal disease, these treatments can seem taxing and painful, but they are essential for your oral health and overall well-being. This highlights the need to keep track of your oral health by brushing and flossing regularly and seek your routine check up and cleaning.
Benefits of Periodontal Therapy
A Beautiful Smile
A beautiful smile is made up of a nice set of teeth and healthy gums. Periodontal therapy will help you achieve safe, attractive gums that you won’t be afraid to flaunt when you smile!
Fresh Breath
Insistent bad breath, also known as halitosis, is an indication that you might have gum disease. This is caused by bacteria, plaque, and food deposits left to build up and rot below your gum line. With the help of periodontal flap surgery, all these issues can be addressed and give you fresh breath.
Identification of Other Health Problems
Your dentist considers the state of your oral cavity to be a measure of your overall health. By having regular periodontal checkups with your dentist, the state of your mouth can be examined, and any problems can be identified quickly.
Tartar Removal
When tartar and plaque accumulate under the gum line, it may lead to serious dental problems. Since your regular oral hygiene regimen can only do so much and cannot treat all dental issues, it is essential to seek a dental professional’s intervention such as a hygienist to improve your oral health.
Painless Procedure
Many people are apprehensive and scared of dental treatments because they equate them with pain. You’ll be pleased to hear that you can get non-surgical periodontal treatment while feeling comfortable thanks to local anesthesia. You no longer have to be concerned about experiencing pain during dental procedures, mainly because periodontal treatment is simple and can be completed in one or two visits. Visit your dentist regularly to learn about your dental care choices and get your gums back in good shape.
Final Words
Gum disease can be avoided by maintaining good oral hygiene. Gum disease is caused by plaque accumulation, which is something you can avoid. Brushing and flossing the teeth twice a day reduces plaque build-up and thus the risk of periodontal disease. However, visiting the dentist to have your teeth examined is an integral part of your oral hygiene. At least twice a year, you can get a dental check-up and cleaning so that the dentist can keep an eye on any future dental problems. To maintain your oral health in order, contact Burnaby Square Dental at (604) 526-2725 today.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you smoke or use tobacco products daily or have diabetes or heart disease, you might be more susceptible to periodontal disease. If you don’t take care of your teeth and gums, you may develop gum disease. The periodontal disorder may be hereditary, so keep an eye on your family’s medical background.
Although the length of periodontal operations varies depending on the operation, most gum procedures take about an hour to complete. During the operation, the patient may be sedated or partially sedated.
Plaque and calculus are extracted from the mouth using scalers and curettes. These instruments may be manual or ultrasonic in nature. When supragingival plaque and calculus are present, sickle scalers are required. Curettes, on the other hand, are used to remove subgingival calculus and plaque.
Depending on the condition’s seriousness that needs care, gum disease treatment will cost anywhere from $500 to $2500. Prophylaxis can cost anywhere from $30 to $75 per visit. On the other hand, periodontal scaling and root planing range in price from $140 to $210.other costs might be in play if longer appointments for cleaning is granted or deep cleaning is required.
Yes, we’d need updated periodontal x-rays once a year to thoroughly examine the disease progress, especially in areas that aren’t visible. We may request a copy of recent x-rays from your referring dentist.
Dental insurance also covers periodontal care.Most cases these treatments are considered basic. All of your medical and dental benefit details and cards will be required during your visit, and if health benefits are requested, we will prepare a claim for you. However, keep in mind that this isn’t always necessary and that predetermination of benefits does not always imply payment. You’d might have to handle some of the amount of fees whether you had insurance or not.
Gum disorder does not always necessitate periodontal surgery. It’s only necessary if your gum disease has progressed significantly. Other than that, there are non-surgical procedures that can be used to avoid it from worsening. We promise that we will only prescribe appropriate care and develop a treatment plan that considers all factors.
Periodontal procedures and treatments have a high success rate when patients adhere to their dentist’s maintenance and care instructions. Following therapy, it’s important to maintain a healthy oral hygiene regimen and avoid tobacco products. Gum disease will be less likely to resurface as a result.
Periodontal disease progresses over time, but the infection is rarely painful. If left unchecked and untreated, however, it can result in bone damage and tooth loss. The longer it is left untreated, the more expensive it can become to treat. Dentures are not always easy to wear, so avoidance is always a good idea.
Periodontal treatment is only needed when periodontal disease has advanced to the point that it is causing damage to your gums and jawbone. These are the supporting structure of your dentition. As a result, when they are affected, it may result in both cosmetic and health issues. Gums can recede, swell, and become reddish and bleeding while brushing and flossing. This is a warning sign of periodontitis which will result in major issues that will lead to tooth loss.
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