Gum Disease
Periodontal disease (gum disease) is an infection of the gums, bone and periodontal ligament (attachment fibers that support the teeth and help hold them in). It is estimated that approximately 90% of the population is infected with this disease. Many people are unaware they have the disease because it is usually painless and silent until its advanced stages.
The main cause of periodontal disease is an accumulation of plaque which is a sticky film of food debris and bacteria. If left on the teeth and not properly removed or if not removed frequently enough, plaque calcifies and becomes calculus(tartar). At this point, a patient needs professional help to remove it. If the tartar and plaque are not removed it collects on root surfaces and further deterioration begins. Periodontal therapy intervention is needed at this point.
The main cause of periodontal disease is an accumulation of plaque which is a sticky film of food debris and bacteria. If left on the teeth and not properly removed or if not removed frequently enough, plaque calcifies and becomes calculus(tartar). At this point, a patient needs professional help to remove it. If the tartar and plaque are not removed it collects on root surfaces and further deterioration begins. Periodontal therapy intervention is needed at this point.
Some of the warning signs of periodontal disease include:
- bad breath
- bleeding gums
- red, swollen and tender gums
- shrinking gums
- loose teeth
- pus between the gum and tooth
- spaces between the teeth
- change in the way teeth fit together when biting
- mobile teeth
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis
Periodontal disease can be diagnosed and treated by your dentist and/or periodontist. A periodontist is specialist with advanced training in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease affecting the gums, bone and supporting structures of the teeth.
Our office has a resident periodontist, Dr. Rick Webb. Our patients do not have to leave our office to see a specialist for periodontal therapy. On an initial exam patients needing periodontal treatment are seen by our periodontist usually within a week or two.
A comprehensive examination/evaluation is performed on our patients including a full series of x-rays which can be used to evaluate bone levels, periodontal abscesses and calculus.
A periodontal probing is performed which measures the depth of the pocket (area between gum and bone) to help determine the degree of progressions. The gums are evaluated to check for bleeding, swelling, tenderness, and overall appearance of infection. Patient symptoms are also noted.
In addition, we also use the aid of an intra–oral video camera to view the teeth and gums. The images are displayed on a TV monitor so that the patient can visually see our areas of concerns. This greatly enhances our ability to see problems both periodontal and restorative and recommend treatment at the earliest, most preventable stages.
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Treatment
Once the diagnosis is made, the appropriate and necessary treatment is recommended. This treatment can vary from periodontal root planning and scaling (cleaning deep below the gum line and smoothing the roots) to full periodontal surgery to decrease the depth of the pockets.
Our hygienists are highly trained in performing root planning and scaling (periodontal therapy). Periodontal therapy is usually divided into two or four office visits where the hygienist has valuable time to perform the treatment and teach valuable oral hygiene techniques.
The patient is usually numbed since this type of procedure will attempt to get to the full depth of the deepest gum pockets. The benefit can be quite profound and immediate results noted as the example below illustrates.
Re–evaluation
After completing periodontal therapy the patient will return to Dr. Webb for a re–evaluation where he will usually recommend one of the following:
- Patient is placed on regular hygiene visits but at a frequency of every 3 months instead of every 6 months so that the patient′s periodontal condition can be monitored more closely.
- Periodontal surgery is indicated for either the whole mouth or just refractory sections.
Periodontal screening, diagnosis and treatment is an important component of dental health. Periodontal procedures are the foundation for restorative and cosmetic dentistry and/or to improve the esthetics of our most important facial feature, our smile.
Return HomeDr Robert Capps DDS, Dr Mark Bowman DDS and Dr Rick Webb DDS: Periodontists - Providing services in cosmetic dentistry and gum disease treatment to the area of Greenville, Eastern North Carolina.
Greenville dentistry
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