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PERIODONTAL TREATMENT
The following information
describes the various treatments for periodontal disease. They are listed
from least to most aggressive:
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Do Nothing...
If you elect to do nothing for your periodontal disease, it will continue to
progress until you lose the involved teeth, one-by-one. This tooth
loss can take from a few months to years. Routine dental hygiene
appointments can increase the possibility of prolonged tooth service.
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Increase frequency of oral
hygiene appointments
Although normal tooth cleanings and scaling are performed once every 6
months, patients with minimal periodontal disease can often control its
progress by increasing the frequency of scaling and exams to once every two
to four months.
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Deep scaling, soft tissue
curettage and increased frequency of oral hygiene appointments
Removal of tartar deposits from the deepest areas of the periodontal pockets
and removal of the diseased soft tissue by scaling usually decreases pocket
depth and slows or arrests periodontal disease. Routine oral hygiene
scaling, polishing, and examination is increased to once every two to four
months. Oral and topical antibiotics and rinses may be included in the
therapy.
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Periodontal surgery
In advanced cases it may be necessary to gently reflect the gums from the
underlying bone tissue, clean out the infection, sometimes add bone fill in
deficient areas, and replace the gums for healing.
In addition to the above
treatments, patients are instructed on how to improve their oral hygiene
procedures and diet. Smoking is also extremely harmful to periodontal
tissues, and it should be reduced or (we prefer) stopped. Smoking during
periodontal treatment greatly hinders healing.
(This information
is provided as a service and is not intended as a treatment plan or provision of
care. Please contact Dental Care STL if you have any questions about the
information presented in these web pages.)
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