| Gum Treatments |
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Periodontal disease is more commonly known as gum disease and was referred to as pyorrhea in the old days. Periodontal diseases are commonly infections of the teeth, gums and the bone that surrounds the teeth. Periodontal disease is the number one cause of tooth loss after the age of 30 and it is believed that around 80% of the population above the age of 30 may suffer from this disease, with varying degrees of severity. It's rarely painful, especially in its early stages. The main cause of periodontal gum diseases is the accumulation of plaque. Plaque is the sticky film of food and bacteria that forms constantly on your teeth. It's hard to see plaque, but look at how it shows up in the video shown in patient education. Although pregnancy, diabetes, epilepsy, and such medications as chemotherapy, medication prescribed for heart problems, birth control pills, and antidepressants can all make you more susceptible to gingivitis which is one of the more common forms of periodontal disease. You must completely remove plaque each day, or it builds up and mineralizes to become tartar, also called calculus. |
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Some of the warning signs of periodontal disease are |
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Persistent bad breath |
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Bleeding gums when brushing or flossing |
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Soft, swollen or tender gums |
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Gums separating away from the teeth |
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Loose teeth |
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Changes in the spaces between your teeth, which reflect changes in the underlying bone levels
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Keep in mind, however, that you can have periodontal diseases and still experience none of these symptoms! That is another reason for regular Dental check-ups, to discover any hidden gum problems early. Treatment will depend upon the type of periodontal disease and how far the condition has progressed. |
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Non-Surgical Treatment |
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Surgical Treatment |
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Scaling |
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Root Planing |
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Scaling |
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Scaling is procedure that meticulously removes contamination toxins, micro-organisms, plaque, tartar, cement um, dentin that is rough and/or permeated by calculus from around, below and under the gum line down to the bottom of the pocket. This is done to remove bio film, calculus, and toxin down to the bottom of each periodontal pocket in order to obtain a healing response. |
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Root Planing |
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Root Planing involves smoothing the root surfaces of your teeth with thin curettes so gum tissue can more firmly reattach to roots that are clean and smooth to prevent tooth loss and sensitivity problems. The procedure makes it more difficult for plaque to accumulate along the root surfaces. Because this procedure goes deeper than a regular cleaning, your mouth may be numbed. The cleaning may take two visits to complete. Depending on the extent of the disease you may need one or more sections (quadrants) of the mouth to be treated with scaling and root Planing. Treatment may require one or more visits. |
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Curettage |
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Curettage is the removal of dead inner tissue from a gum pocket in order to completely eliminate bacteria and diseased tissue. This allows the gum tissues to heal. Dentists usually use this method when the tools of scaling and root Planing cannot go deep enough to remove the tartar. Moreover, deep pockets make it more difficult for him to look for the tartar. Therefore, he cannot clean the tooth surface properly.
During the procedure, you will be given local anesthesia. Your dentist will then separate the gums slightly from the teeth. This allows him to see the tooth surface clearly. Then with a curette, he scraps the tartar. He can also remove damaged tissues easily. Then he will stitch the gum back to the teeth. He may even use oral antibiotics to overcome gum infection. |
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Gingivitis |
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You may need surgery for severe gum disease (periodontal) if it cannot be cured with antibiotics or root Planing and scaling. A gingivectomy removes and reshapes loose, diseased gum tissue to get rid of pockets between the teeth and gums. The dentist will start by numbing your gums with a local anesthetic. The dentist may use a laser to remove loose gum tissue. After removing the gum tissue, the doctor will put a temporary putty-like substance over your gum line. This will protect your gums while they heal. You can eat soft foods and drink cool or slightly warm liquids while the putty is in place and your gums are healing. |
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Gingivoplasty |
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Gingivoplasty is a procedure in which we surgically reshape and re-contour the gum tissue for cosmetic, physiological, or functional purposes.
Gingivoplasty is the surgical reshaping of the outer surface of the gums and it's usually done in combination with gingivectomy. The term comes from gingiva meaning gums and the word plasty meaning to reshape. Many patients have a gummy smile which is caused by excessive and overgrown gum tissue. Excess gum tissue can usually be removed to reveal a beautiful smile underneath.
After a gingivectomy procedure, the gingivoplasty procedure thins the remaining gums tissue so the tissue looks natural and pleasing. It's done this using an electrosurgery unit and a specially designed electrical cutting tip. The electrosurgery unit uses electricity to cut the gum tissues and at the same time, causes the gum tissues to clot and stop bleeding.
Gingivoplasty corrects the remaining thick and unnaturally shaped gum tissue left after the gingivectomy procedure exposes the hidden teeth. Natural gum tissue thins as it approaches and surrounds teeth. It can get confusing because the two procedures are almost always used at the same time. These procedures can also be used to reshape irregularly shaped and unattractive gums.
Gingivoplasty procedures are usually done with local anaesthetics. The electro surgery equipment minimizes bleeding and most patients experience very little post operative pain after the procedure |
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