treating gum disease
What is Periodontal Therapy?
Periodontal therapy involves cleaning above and below the gum line with the intention of tackling active periodontal disease (gum disease). Reducing or preventing the disease progression will prevent tooth instability and eventual loss. Effective periodontal treatment will help in the retention of natural teeth, bridgework and dental implants. Gingivitis and Periodontitis are the two forms of gum disease that require periodontal treatment.
What is Gingivitis?
The bacteria in our mouths that causes plaque is also responsible for the development of gingivitis which is an inflammatory response triggered by the body if we do not clean our mouths thoroughly enough and keep the bacterial presence down.
What is Periodontitis?
Periodontitis develops when inflammation caused by bacterial toxins leads to irreversible damage to supporting bone structure around the teeth and may lead to premature tooth loss. Gingivitis is often a precursor to this condition and, with correct dental hygiene treatment and improved daily care, we can usually prevent permanent damage to gum tissue and bone.
Common causes of Periodontitis:
Genetic predisposition plays a significant role in the development of gum disease but usually other factors, such as stress, smoking, poor hygiene and a variety of health related issues are responsible for the disease progressing.
Is Gum Disease curable?
When diagnosed early, Gingivitis is easily treated and reversible but Periodontitis cannot be cured, only professionally managed to stabilize the disease progression with the intention of preventing future bone and tooth loss. Regular dental hygiene visits enable early detection of any gum health issues and our experienced dental hygienist Natalie is ready to welcome you to your consultation.
4 stages of periodontal therapy
Phase 1 – Enhanced Hygiene
The initial consultation includes a clinical examination, x-rays and a thorough evaluation of the condition of the gums so we can accurately assess the disease progression and discuss suitable treatment options and associated costs.
During this stage, the emphasis will be on you, the patient, committing to the best possible at-home care regime to establish and maintain optimal oral health.
Phase 2 – Non-surgical Periodontal Therapy
At this stage, treatment for periodontal disease is carried out with/without local anaesthetic, using mechanical and/or manual instruments to flush out the gum pockets and remove tartar, bacterial plaque and toxins from the root of the affected tooth. This may require up to 4 appointments that will take from 30 to 120 minutes, depending on case severity and complexity.
Phase 3 – Supportive Care Therapy
Supportive care therapy is to support you during the healing phase of the treatment and to make sure that you are doing your best with plaque control at home. We also monitor how your gums are healing and if the bleeding and inflammation is settling down well.
We will evaluate progress through assessing periodontal pocket depth, bleeding and tooth stability and comparing to your initial condition. We will discuss how you are feeling about your progress and whether you are happy with your home care routine.
In cases where we manage to get the gum disease under control, you will move onto the next stage – the maintenance phase. However, in some more complex cases, we will either repeat phase 2 non-surgical therapy or will refer you to our in-house periodontal specialist.
Phase 4 – Maintenance
If all your gum pockets are within a range that you can maintain with the recommended home care and the gum disease looks stable, we will move you into a maintenance phase.
During this period, you will be expected to look after your gum health/hygiene to the highest standards and you will be scheduled in to see your dentist/hygienist every 3-4 months so they can support you with hygiene guidance, deep cleaning and picking up early any signs of further trouble.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
What to expect following treatment:
If you receive a local anaesthetic for the treatment, you may experience numbness for several hours afterwards, as well as a little swelling or bruising which may be felt for a few days. Tooth sensitivity is also a common side effect of periodontal therapy and in most cases will subside naturally.
Possible complications:
In some cases, treatment may lead to a gum abscess or gum recession that exposes the root surface of the tooth. Occasionally patients may experience trauma to tissues supporting the teeth and in rare cases an allergic reaction may be triggered by the treatment.
Why choose Periodontal Therapy?
- To prevent further damage to the supporting tissues around the teeth.
- To reduce gum disease to a level manageable by the immune system.
- To prevent widening of the interdental spaces and drifting of the teeth.
- To ensure that gum disease progression is accurately monitored.
- To reduce the risk of future supporting tissue damage and tooth loss.
- To avoid possible risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other health issues as a result of untreated gum disease.
Even if all treatment is carried out as planned, gum disease therapy is not always successful. In some cases teeth may require further treatment or may need to be extracted.
