Periodontitis Treatment: Causes & Solutions
Periodontitis is a form of inflammation that develops in the supporting structures around the tooth. As bacteria and other microorganisms stuck on the surface and structures of the tooth, they accumulate, pushing the immune system to react, causing inflammation. If this phenomenon remains untreated, it may lead to tooth loss. Consequently, immediate and effective periodontitis treatment can prevent unpleasant consequences.
Causes
Periodontitis is a quite uncommon inflammation for people under the age of 30 and mostly infects older people. However, it can affect anyone who does not practice proper oral hygiene, such as regularly brushing and flossing.
The appearance of gingivitis can significantly favour the development of periodontitis. If gingivitis is not treated properly on time, the stage that follows is periodontitis inflammation. Periodontitis can affect the gums, as well as the dental tissues in general. As the inflammation progresses, the microbes and their toxic products penetrate deeper under the gums and attack to the bone. In this way, the bone gradually is being destroyed, a fact that leads to the detachment of teeth from the gums, forming an empty space, which is called sac. This empty space fosters the multiplication of germs, which are responsible for the detachment of teeth.
Symptoms
In primary stages, periodontitis may not cause symptoms and appear when someone is in advanced age. Until this moment, periodontitis is possible to become progressed and irreversible.
However the symptoms of inflammation during its progress are:
- Inflamed or swollen gums
- Discoloured dental plaque or tartar
- Bleeding during the process of oral hygiene
- Bad breath
- Pain during chewing
- Teeth sensitivity
- Gums’ attenuation, which makes the teeth look longer
- The formation of extra gaps between the teeth
- The production of pus between teeth and gums
- Loose teeth that move
Periodontitis Treatment: The procedure
The periodontitis treatment depends on the severity and extends of the incident. The periodontitis treatment procedure may include the use of ultrasound machines, combined with scarping techniques or laser application. During the treatment root scarping is performed, in which the plaque, tartar and germs that exist under the gums are being removed. At this step the use of ultrasounds and scrapers are important. After that, the inflammatory tissue is removed via laser and an antimicrobial effect is being achieved.
In some cases, surgical intervention might me necessary, as well as the administration of antibiotics, which is important for the reduction of the inflammation, a scenario that can be eliminated by the laser application during the treatment session. However, the procedure is painless, due to the performance of local anaesthesia.
Periodontitis treatment is carried out in different sessions with duration from 2 weeks up to 6 months, depending on the incident. The consistency of patient, who has to follow dentist’s instructions, as well as the adoption of an integrated oral hygiene, plays a major role for the success and long lasting maintenance of treatments’ the beneficial results.
Even though the patients’ relapse is possible in the following years, through careful and continuous monitoring, periodontitis can be prevented and treated on time. At LoveSmile we apply the most effected and sophisticated methods, adjusted to every single incident!
