Initial Therapy
Initial therapy appointments are critical to begin the healing process
of your gums. The goal of this therapy is to educate you about
the causes of your periodontal disease and to provide you with the
oral hygiene home care instructions that are specific to your mouth.
During the initial visit we will also remove tartar deposits and plaque both above and below the gum line from all teeth and to encourage closure of the periodontal pockets through reattachment of the gum to the root surface, and by shrinkage of the gum tissue.
Other procedures that could be preformed during these therapy appointments
could be:
Scaling: the removal of calculus (tartar) deposits
from the crowns and roots of the teeth, mainly above the gumline –
this is the treatment of “cleanings” in your dental office.
Root
Planing: this is the removal of the diseased root surface
after all of the calculus has been removed. This is mainly done
below the gum line within the pocket – this is the “cleaning” in a
periodontal office.
Polishing: the removal of any stains and plaque
from the crowns after scaling and root planing have been completed. This
is not required in all cases and is performed routinely in your dental
office.
Overhang Removal: this is the smoothing of improperly
contoured filling margins.
Anesthetic: a local anesthetic is usually
administered to numb the area and prevent any discomfort during the
initial therapy appointments. You
may find that the teeth are sensitive to temperature after the root
planing appointment. This usually decreases with improvement
in the health of the gums and with thorough home care.
Antibiotics: depending on the type of gum
disease you have, antibiotics may be used in conjunction to phase I
therapy or surgery or both.
Oral Rinsing: an antibacterial rinse may
be used in conjunction with phase one therapy and is by prescription
only.
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Osseous & Cosmetic Surgery
Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects bone and gums around
teeth. When supporting bone and gums around teeth are affected gum pockets will form. If
left untreated these deep gum pockets collect even more bacteria, producing dental bone
loss. Eventually, if too much bone is lost, the teeth will need to be extracted.
Osseous surgery is a gum pocket reduction procedure during which infected bone and gum tissue will be removed and areas where bacteria can hide will be cleaned and smoothed out. This will allow gums to better reattach to healthy bone and eliminate gum pockets.
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Tooth Replacement with Implants
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that a dentist places into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Dental implants are an ideal option if you have good general oral health and have lost a tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease, an injury, or some other reason.
While high-tech in nature, dental implants are actually more tooth-saving than traditional bridgework, since implants do not rely on neighboring teeth for support.
Dental implants are so natural-looking and feeling, you may forget you ever lost a tooth. You know that your confidence about your teeth affects how you feel about yourself, both personally and professionally. Perhaps you hide your smile because of spaces from missing teeth. Maybe your dentures don't feel secure. Perhaps you have difficulty chewing. If you are missing one or more teeth and would like to smile, speak and eat again with comfort and confidence, there is good news! Dental implants are teeth that can look and feel just like your own! Under proper conditions, such as placement by a dentist and diligent patient maintenance, implants can last a lifetime.
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Crown Elongation
When
getting a crown, your dentist must prepare your tooth to receive the
crown. Sometimes there is not enough tooth surface above the gumline
to accomplish this. A periodontist can do crown lengthening to provide
more tooth surface. This ensures a more stable crown with less gum
irritation. Also, if you have a "gummy" smile
or an uneven gum line, crown lengthening can make your teeth look
longer and more even. Often on maxillary anterior teeth orthodontic
therapy is performed prior to the actual crown elongation procedure
to maintain an attractive smile line and keep the gum tissue even.
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