Periodontal Disease 101: A Look At Non-Surgical And Surgical Treatments!

If you have noticed gum bleeding while brushing or flossing, you may have gingivitis, which is the earliest stage of gum disease. Advanced periodontal disease can cause a wide range of additional and complex problems, including tooth loss. When you see your dental services provider, they will usually recommend a treatment plan, which is largely based on the stage of gum disease, existing oral health, and overall health. In this post, we will discuss the common treatments for periodontal disease. 

Non-surgical gum disease treatments

If your gum conditions are relatively healthy or the symptoms indicate mild periodontitis, your dentist will usually consider non-surgical treatments, and the options include – 

• Dental prophylaxis: Also called dental cleaning, this procedure eliminates tartar and plaque from the teeth, which helps reverse gingivitis. Your dentist will tell you how often you must return for these cleanings. 
• Scaling and root planing: This is more advanced than standard dental cleaning. Your dentist will go beyond the gum line to remove plaque and tartar. If there are any rough spots on the roots, they will smoothen them, too. It is common to use local anesthesia for the treatment. With scaling and root planing, the removal of debris from the teeth allows the gums to heal. 
• Laser periodontal therapy: There is also laser-based treatment, where the laser is used to treat diseased tissues and kill bacteria under the gums. The procedure is less invasive and doesn’t require sutures. 

In addition to the above, your dentist may recommend antibiotics as a standalone treatment or with other procedures. Antibiotics help accelerate the healing of your gums. 

Surgical gum disease treatments

When it comes to advanced periodontal disease, surgical treatments are often necessary, and some of these include – 

• Flap surgery: Also called pocket reduction surgery, the procedure involves creating incisions along the gum line, following which the dentist will move the gums away from the teeth to expose the roots. They will then use special devices to remove tartar and clean the roots. In some cases, it may be necessary to reshape the damaged bones, which will prevent further bacterial growth. The final step is to reposition the gum tissues and use sutures. 
• Bone grafting: If you have lost bone mass because of gum disease, you will need a bone graft. The graft can be created using your own bone, synthetic bone, or donated bone. Bone grafting helps regenerate new bone, and the procedure is often combined with flap surgery. 
• Gum grafting: For significant gum recession, a gum graft can help. The procedure could use your own tissues, synthetic tissues, or donated tissues. The first is to harvest the graft, which is usually done from the top of your mouth. The next step is to place the tissue graft on treatment areas and use sutures. 
• Guided tissue regeneration: If there are gaps between tooth roots and bone because of gum disease, your dentist may recommend this option. The procedure involves using a membrane in the treatment site to prevent gum tissue from growing in bone areas. 

Meeting your dentist for gum disease

While early stages of gum disease are easily treatable, many patients fail to see their dentist on time. If you have any of the evident symptoms, such as gum inflammation, bleeding, or pain, book an appointment immediately. It is critical that you take care of your teeth and gums at home and adhere to proper oral hygiene habits. Regular dental checkups are also important, as your dentist can check the condition and health of your teeth and gums and decide whether you have dental concerns that must be addressed immediately. 

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