Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Periodontal Treatment / Gum Disease Treatments


What is Periodontic?

Periodontic is part of dentistry that preserve and conserve periodontal tissue and ligament from disease

There are a number of treatments available for gum disease sufferers, each of which varies depending on the severity of the condition.

In order to determine the treatment modality that best meets your needs, your dentist will evaluate the extent of the damage caused by gum disease to develop a conservative initial plan. A dental hygiene evaluation will determine if plaque (soft deposits on the tooth) is being removed on a daily basis.

Next, calculus (also known as tartar) must be removed through a professional cleaning, and sometimes through the additional procedures of deep scaling and root planing. A local anesthetic may be administered during these procedures. Your dentist may also administer antibiotics to treat bacteria housed in the pocketed areas of the gum, and recommend a medicated mouthwash to be used as a regular part of your home regimen.

Advanced Gum Disease Treatments

Tissue Regeneration

  • If the bone has been destroyed, your dentist may employ a new technique called tissue regeneration, which involves grafting the bone to offer a better chance of bone re-growth. To strengthen thin gums, soft tissue grafts may also be used.
  • Guided tissue regeneration involves the insertion of a membrane to help in the bone regeneration process. This is sometimes useful during periodontal surgery.

Pocket Elimination Surgery

In some cases, surgery may be part of the treatment plan to help prevent tooth loss resulting from gum disease. Here are some surgical options:

  • Periodontal flap surgery may be performed to reduce the pocket gap between the teeth and gums.
  • If the jaw bone has craters housing bacteria and contributing to gum disease, the bone may be reshaped through bone surgery to eliminate the craters and help prevent future recolonization of bacteria growth.

Our Services in Periodontic

Treatment of Teeth Supportive Tissue



Periodontal Surgery



Treatment of gingival enlargement and inflamation due to infection



Treatment of Mobilize tooth

fixation of mobilize tooth due to periodontal disease to prevent futher damage to the bone and to eliminate pain

Bone Augmentation

Placing synthetic bone substitute material into treated bone defect area to create full recovery in bone regeneration

Treatment of Bone Defect and Infection



Deep Scalling

More advance scaling for treating severe gingivitis (bleeding gum) and periodontitis with minimal bone defect



Gum Disease – The Signs, Symptoms and Causes of Periodontal Disease


Gum disease – also known as periodontal disease and periodontitis – is an inflammatory condition affecting the tissues surrounding a tooth, and is the leading cause of tooth loss. Gingivitis is a bacterial infection of the tissues in the mouth and potential precursor of gum disease.

Once gum disease sets in, the toxins produced by the bacteria damage the teeth's connective tissue and bone, effectively destroying them and fostering tooth loss.

The Signs of Gum Disease

As a gum infection progresses, the bone tends to recede; the gums may or may not recede. In some cases, the root of the tooth becomes exposed, occasionally causing tooth sensitivity. Furthermore, pus may be produced, and pockets may form between the gum and tooth.

Since bone recession is not visible to the naked eye, and if left undetected, may contribute to tooth loss, it is important to visit your dentist for professional examinations and dental cleanings to identify gum disease.

Here are some common signs of gum disease you and your dentist can look for:

  • Bleeding gums during tooth brushing or otherwise.
  • Sensitive, red or swollen gums.
  • Bad breath.
  • teeth that are loose or appear to have shifted.

Causes of Gum Disease

There are a number of causes of gum disease, each of which can be corrected and controlled. The causes of gum disease include:

Improper Dental Hygiene: If plaque is not removed through daily dental hygiene practices and regular professional dental cleanings, bacteria may set in and cause gingivitis, which may eventually result in gum disease.

Organic Changes in the Mouth: Changes that occur in metabolism and hormone levels during pregnancy, puberty and menopause may affect the organic balance in the mouth, and make teeth more susceptible to gum disease.

Medical Conditions: Serious conditions that affect the body's ability to produce sugar (such as diabetes or kidney disease) may contribute to periodontal disease. Furthermore, the Center for Disease Control has found an association between certain illnesses (including diabetes, stroke and heart attack) and gum disease. Finally, medications used to treat medical conditions may produce the overgrowth of gums. Overgrown gums are more susceptible to bacteria, and therefore gum disease.

Saliva Flow Inhibitors: Certain medications that produce oral side effects or dry mouth syndrome (xerostomia) may contribute to a reduction of protective saliva flow, and potentially to gum disease. Seniors may be more susceptible to dry mouth syndrome because of the natural reduction of salivary flow associated with age.

Poor Functional Habits: Teeth grinding or clenching may impair the surrounding tissue and is a possible contributor to gum disease.

Gum contouring - for the "gummy smile"

Gum contouring, also known as gum reshaping, is a cosmetic form of dental treatment used to improve the general look of a person’s teeth. It is primarily used in cases where the individual has what is commonly known as ‘gummy smile’. This is a condition in which the gums cover too much of the teeth, usually the front teeth, and this can leave the length of the teeth looking too short, which can affect a person’s general desire to smile.

Such a condition may be caused due to genetics, health circumstances or as a result of certain high blood pressure prescriptions. This can have an affect on an individual’s self-confidence and may see them do their best not to smile in public. Thankfully, gum contouring is a dental treatment which is painless and able to solve the problem of ‘gummy smile’ through quick and painless treatment.

What is ‘gummy smile’?

A gummy smile is only considered so when there is a high percentage of gum covering a person’s front teeth. This is commonly caused by genetic factors, but it can also be due to certain health conditions or as a side-effect to some high blood pressure medication. Such a condition can cause a person’s self-esteem to plummet and can make the process of smiling an unappealing one. This is a condition that mainly affects the front teeth but can also shape other teeth out of sight. ‘Gummy smile’ is not so much a medical dilemma but is more of an aesthetic problem. It can however have a negative affect on an individual’s self-confidence, affecting their mental welfare, which is why gum contouring is such an important dental treatment.

What is gum contouring?

Gum contouring is a procedure which is most commonly done through the use of a scalpel. However, technological advances have seen special laser devices emerging in the treatment of ‘gummy smile’. The scalpel or laser will be used to trim away at any excessive gum overlying the teeth. This is a quick and often painless treatment. The scalpel will make the process slightly longer, and the laser also has the added bonus of being able to seal blood vessels during the procedure. This will help to limit the amount of blood released due to the incision. Along with the use of crowns and veneers after the treatment is complete, gum contouring is a simple procedure that can easily remedy ‘gummy smile’.

What does gum contouring involve?

To begin with a local anaesthetic is used to take away feeling from the area where the procedure is to commence. The scalpel or laser device will then be used to trim away at the excessive gum that is covering the front teeth. As well as cutting away at the gum, the dental practitioner will also work to reshape the gum that is to remain in place. The healing process is relatively quick, but will be made faster if the laser device is used, as it works to seal blood vessels, in order to prevent excessive bleeding once the procedure is complete.

There are certain instances in which the removable and reshaping of the gum is not enough. If this is the case then the dental practitioner may need to remove some of the bone in which the teeth are rooted. This will be down to the judgement of the dental practitioner, should they think the gum will reform too far down on the teeth. This may seem more daunting to some than the mere removable of excessive gum, but it is just as simple a procedure. Once treatment is complete you may be prescribed with veneers or crowns to help improve the look of your smile.

Benefits of gum contouring and possible risks

This is a treatment that can work a treat to improve your smile and self-confidence. However, as with most procedures that involve cutting into tissue and bone there are certain risks involved. You should consider the implications of such risks before you decide to go ahead with the treatment.

  • The healing process is quick and simple, but will take slightly longer if a scalpel is used.
  • This is a relatively painless procedure. You will be unable to feel anything during the procedure due to the local anaesthetic.
  • There may be the need to remove bone to improve the look of your teeth. This is a simple procedure.
  • The removal of too much gum can make it difficult for the designated area to heal properly. This can lead to swelling and may need to be corrected through further treatment.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009