Treatment of Gum Disease

Causes of gum disease

Dental microbial plaque
Dental microbial plaque is the form of calcified scaler on which germs are deposited. Usually, dental plaque is minimized with daily dental hygiene, proper brushing and flossing, but regular appointments to the dentist are also needed when it is formed to a large extent so as to treat it in the early stages in order not to create serious dental problems subsequently.

Gingivitis
When the bacteria from the plaque and scaler have not been eliminated, they produce toxins, which if left for a long time in the oral cavity, attack the tooth enamel and cause gingivitis, the inflammation of the gums. Most often, gum disease has mild symptoms and visiting the dentist renders it safe for dental health.

Periodontitis
If gingivitis is not treated in time and effectively, it is likely to develop into periodontitis, which means inflammation around the tooth. Periodontitis destroys the bones, gums and tissues that support the teeth, resulting in teeth relaxation and their forced removal. With proper orthodontic treatment, the progression of periodontitis can be stopped from reaching a later stage.

Smoking
Smoking is widely known to affect the health. Apart from being responsible for yellowing the teeth and causing bad breath, it also aggravates gum disease. The development of periodontitis is more common in smokers and also smoking slows down the treatment of the disease.

Hormones
Changes in the hormonal system render the gums more sensitive, resulting in periodontitis. Gum disease during pregnancy is directly linked to hormonal changes.

Heredity
It is very common for some people to be more genetically predisposed to gum disease. Usually, children with periodontal parents are more likely to develop the disease themselves. Also, men are more likely to develop gingivitis than women.

Medical products intake
Both anti-epileptics and anti-hypertensives and immunosuppressives disrupt the soft tissue physiology. Therefore, in case of taking such medication, it would be better to inform the dentist, so that he is able to prevent any dental disease on time..

Systemic diseases
Diabetes, when unregulated, causes gum inflammation. This is because people with diabetes have a higher risk of developing infections.

Symptoms

Red swollen gums
Tissue bleeding
Tooth sensitivity
Tooth mobility
Bad breath
Receding gums
Abscesses with pus in the gums
Feeling pain when chewing

Treatment phases

Detailed medical and dental history is obtained.
A complete X-ray is done.
The candidate is informed about the rules of oral health.
This is followed by the conservative phase, which includes scaling, both with ultrasound and with a special hand scraper, "deep cleansing", and is completed by irradiating the gum area with special lasers such as diode or KTP laser.

After completing the treatment, you will need to visit the dentist for maintenance.

How many appointments are required?

We usually treat the disease in (4) visits under local anesthesia.

Do I feel pain after treatment?

We do not feel any pain at the end of the treatment, but only some sensitivity for a short time to very cold or very hot drinks.

When do I need surgery?

If the conservative phase is completed and germs remain on gum areas that destroy the supporting bone, usually very deep, then surgical treatment is recommended.

How is the surgery performed?

To access the lesion, we create a small incision, clean the stone and germs very well and after having visual contact we place a synthetic graft to create regeneration of the lost bone, for completing the operation.

How much do lasers help in the gum disease treatment?

Lasers are perfect for both gingivitis and periodontitis, because both diseases are related to the appearance of germs. Lasers have the ability to remove germs and sterilize in depth with respect to conventional methods, thus acting preventively in possible future treatments.