Gum Disease
What is gum disease and how do you know if you have it?
Statistics show 90-95% of the population is in some state of gum disease. The Medical Center Dental Group's motto is "healthy gums don't bleed"; however, most patients admit that their gums have always bled when they have their teeth cleaned. In the past, bleeding gums was more acceptable and pretty much every patient was put on a six-month interval of having their teeth cleaned. Fortunately, the standard of care has changed, and we now know that this condition is not acceptable. We treat each patient as an individual. Some people may come two, three, four, or even five times a year for their dental hygiene visits to maintain a healthy mouth. And this interval can change as things in someone's life changes, such as diet, health, stress level, systemic conditions, etc. We treat the patient the same way we would want to be treated ourselves. For this reason, we access our patients at each and every visit to determine if their treatment plan is working for them as an individual. At The Medical Center Dental Group, we want our patients to get their maximum benefits from their insurance; however, we will not jeopardize providing the highest level of care. Our philosophy is to treat the patient with their best interest in mind, rather than be mandated by the insurance companies that have no dental expertise.
What are the different types of gum disease?
Healthy
Healthy gums are characterized by tight pink tissue with no bleeding present during regular dental hygiene visits.
Gingivitis
Gum disease occurs in different stages. The first stage is known as gingivitis. Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal disease. Symptoms of gingivitis are inflamed gums, red tissue, and bleeding. Fortunately, there is no sign of bone loss in this first stage; therefore, it can be completely reversible.
Mild Periodontitis
Periodontitis is defined as loss of attachment in the supporting tissues of the teeth. This can vary from gum recession, pocket depths, and/or a combination of the two. Slight periodontitis has usual probing depths of 3-4mm and is common among most adults.
Moderate Periodontitis
This is a more advanced stage of gum disease with bone loss ranging from 4-6mm. It is much more detectable on x-rays and with periodontal probing. This stage is not reversible, but is manageable in most cases. However, it can be accompanied by some tooth mobility, bad breath, sore and swollen gums, and furcation involvement.
Advanced Periodontitis
Advanced stages of gum disease are more involved and harder to treat. The pocketing is usually over 6mm in one or more areas. We will usually address this condition with a more surgical approach including laser periodontal therapy.
This stage can usually result in tooth loss because the amount of bone loss is so major. We will usually address this condition in several ways, including laser periodontal therapy, splinting teeth together for more stability, and possibly some extractions. Fortunately, lost teeth can usually be replaced with bridges, dentures, or better yet - implant dentistry.
Visit the site linked below for more information:
http://www.dentalcare.com/drn.htm
No one wants to loose his or her teeth. For this reason, we treat all types of gum disease very seriously to prevent further infection and/or possible tooth loss.
Good periodontal health means
good general health.
- Periodontal bacteria can travel in the bloodstream and cause infections to major organs.
- Research indicates that periodontal infection can increase your risk for coronary heart disease, infective endocarditis, and stroke.
- Uncontrolled diabetics are at a greater risk for developing periodontal infection. Diabetes lowers your body's ability to fight infection and can cause dry mouth.
- There is a link between periodontal infection and respiratory infections like pneumonia, bronchitis, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. If you have periodontal disease, you may be inhaling harmful bacteria.
- Healthy gums are especially important if you are pregnant. During pregnancy, your body produces higher levels of hormones. Your gums may react strongly to these hormones causing some to develop "pregnancy gingivitis". This is a condition that causes swollen, red, and tender gums that may bleed when brushing or flossing.
- There is also the risk of having a pre-term, low birth weight baby in women with even mild periodontal infection. During pregnancy, the level of prostaglandins increases, and then peaks then in labor. Extra prostaglandins are produced in response to gum infection and your body may interpret this as a signal to go into labor.
| Information for our patients. | |
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Nightguards - Nighttime protection against Bruxing and clenching |
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Bruxism - The Link Between Clenching, Headaches and Tooth Wear |
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General Information for Patients with Dry Mouth (Xerostomia) |
Laser Periodontal Treatment (LPT)
In the United States, more than 60% of the population has some degree of gum disease, yet statistics show that less than 3% have treatment. Since fear is one of the factors that prevent patients from having recommended treatment, we want to introduce our patients to Laser Periodontal Treatment (LPT), a non-surgical approach to treating gum disease. We and our patients have found that this is a very effective treatment, and it is far less invasive and therefore much more comfortable than traditional periodontal surgery.
Laser Periodontal Therapy can help eliminate infection and heal diseased gum tissue which, if left untreated, can lead to early tooth loss. Research suggests that dental infections may also be associated with hardening of the arteries, heart attack, stroke and premature births.
Laser periodontal therapy (LPT) is a breakthrough in the treatment of gum disease just as LASIK was for ophthalmology. LPT takes some of the most effective treatment modalities that have been used for many years and enhances them with the conservative use of a laser. This very special combination of treatments has proven to be as effective as surgery for the treatment of periodontal disease.
We use this Laser Periodontal Therapy procedure in order to preserve as much of the healthy gum tissue as possible, maintain the height of the gums around the teeth, and minimize the discomfort to the patient.
How Does it Work?
The laser generates a tiny beam of concentrated light energy. This energy sterilizes the area, removes diseased tissue only, and it facilitates the scaling and root planing that is also critical to the procedure.
Benefits of Laser Periodontal Therapy:
- Faster healing.
- Minimal post-op discomfort-usually pain can be managed with Motrin®.
- Less bleeding.
- Spend less time in the dental chair than traditional surgery.
- Reduced risk of infection - laser virtually sterilizes periodontal pocket.
- Decreased sensitivity.
In addition to the benefits of gum treatment , Laser Periodontal Therapy is also used to:
- Take the sting out of painful aphthous ulcers
- Perform frenectomy and gingivectomy procedures.
Laser Periodontal Therapy is an FDA approved procedure for the treatment of periodontal disease and bone regeneration.
Laser Periodontal Therapy Treatment Procedures:
A) Perio probe indicates excessive pocket depth.
B) Laser light removes bacteria and diseased tissue.
C) Ultrasonic scaler and special hand instruments are used to remove root surface tarter.
D) Laser finishes cleaning pocket and aids in sealing the pocket closed so new germs cannot enter.
E) Healing of gums to clean root surface occurs.
F) Bite trauma is adjusted.
G) Healing occurs.
