Periodontitis Treatment

While gingivitis is a disease of the gum tissues, periodontitis is a disease that destroys the jaw bone around the tooth socket. The gums start to recede and the infection destroys the periodontal ligaments and the jawbone surrounding and supporting teeth in place. Teeth become loose and eventually they will either fall out or have to be extracted due to the infection. Periodontitis is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults.

Treatment of periodontitis is much more difficult and complex, but even if it is successful in eliminating the disease, the body will not rebuild naturally the lost gum tissue and bone. Therefore, additional treatments are necessary in cases of severe periodontitis to repair some of the damage in gums and bone.

Recent studies have shown a connection of gum disease with general health problems such as heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, pre-term births and lung infections. Treating, yet better preventing, gum disease is very important in maintaining not only strong and healthy teeth but also better overall health.

Unlike gingivitis where the condition can be fully treated with simple non-surgical treatments, in the advanced stages of periodontitis treatments that involve gum surgery are necessary to restore some of the damage caused to periodontal tissues and to create a more maintainable periodontal environment to prevent the recurrence of the disease.

Treatments of periodontal disease aim to:

• Stop the progress of periodontal disease by eliminating the bacterial infection
• Identify and treat, if possible, any underlying causes or contributing systemic illnesses
• Eliminate periodontal pockets to allow the patient to easily maintain good oral health and prevent the recurrence of periodontitis
• Restore damage caused to soft or/and hard tissues (gums and bone)
• Replace lost teeth

If you are diagnosed with severe periodontal disease (periodontitis) your dentist will probably refer you to a periodontist, who is a specialist in the treatment of the soft tissues of the mouth (gums) and the supporting structures (bones) of the teeth. The periodontist will perform a detailed periodontal examination to determine the severity of the gum disease based on the depth of the periodontal pockets and the extend of gum recession and bone loss.

Treatment options may vary significantly from case to case depending on how far the disease has progressed. Periodontal gum surgery can help the dentist to reach areas deep under the gums and along the tooth roots where microbial plaque and dental tartar have accumulated and can not be removed with tooth scaling. Other gum surgery treatments are required to repair the damage to soft and hard tissues around teeth caused by the periodontal disease. A complete treatment plan will usually include a combination of the following non-surgical and surgical procedures:

Non-surgical treatments of periodontal disease

Tooth scaling and Root planing is the first step of any periodontal disease treatment. It is a non surgical treatment performed to remove bacterial plaque and dental calculus from the surface of the teeth and to smooth the rough spots of the teeth roots, making it more difficult for bacteria to attach again onto them.

Antimicrobial therapy helps to reduce the amount of bacteria in the mouth and especially the harmful bacteria that cause gum disease. Topical application of antibiotics is very helpful in eliminating the bacteria deep inside the periodontal pockets.

Surgical treatments of periodontal disease

Gingivectomy / gingival curettage is a common surgical procedure to remove diseased and infected gum tissue and permit the area to heal.

Pocket depth reduction / Periodontal Flap surgery is one of the most used severe periodontal disease treatments that aims to reduce the depth of periodontal pockets and allow better removal of bacterial plaque.

Soft tissue grafts are used to replace gingival tissue lost due to excessive gum recession and cover exposed tooth roots.

Periodontal bone grafts are used to replace/regenerate bone destroyed by periodontitis, prevent further gum recession and improve support of affected teeth.

Guided Tissue Regeneration is a technique used to help in the regeneration of lost soft or hard tissue.

Osseous surgery is used to correct bony deformities that may harbor bacteria helping in the accumulation of dental calculus and plaque.

Dental implants can provide a substitute for teeth lost due to periodontitis and restore the functionality and esthetics of the mouth

After the periodontal disease treatment is completed, patients are required to follow an ongoing periodontal maintenance program in order to maintain good dental health and prevent the recurrence of periodontitis. Except of careful daily oral hygiene, periodontists recommend a periodontal maintenance visit that includes tooth scaling and root planing every 3 months for patients who have been treated for advanced periodontal disease.

Through daily oral hygiene and professional maintenance care, the chances of keeping your natural teeth after the treatment of periodontal disease are significantly increased.