Re-Care for Perio Patients
If you have a history of periodontal disease, we must
monitor the health of your gums closely so that we can
prevent a recurrence of this destructive infection.
Periodontal disease can never be cured; it can only be
controlled. And if it isn't carefully monitored and controlled,
periodontal disease can eventually cause you to lose your
teeth.
Treatment for periodontal
disease
If we've diagnosed periodontal disease, we'll usually
recommend a form of periodontal therapy called scaling
and root planing to remove the infection from beneath
your gums. Following this treatment, we'll have you come
to see us every few months for ongoing care, which may
include x-rays, re-evaluation of your periodontal health
and the effectiveness of your homecare, removal of plaque
above and below the gum line, and re-treatment with scaling
and root planing if necessary. These frequent checkups
are vital for controlling your periodontal disease.
Why re-care is important
Periodontal disease is site-specific. This means that
you may experience a flare-up of the infection in just
one periodontal pocket out of the possible total of 192
that exist in your mouth. Bone and tissue loss may occur
in only this isolated area, or it may be more widespread.
If we aren't checking regularly for this type of damage
to your gums and bone, you might not notice that it's
occurring, and the destruction would continue unchecked.
Some bacteria do remain after treatment, and they may
settle back into the pocket and once again begin the process
of reproducing and destroying bone and soft tissue. In
as few as 90 days, the bacteria can reach destructive
levels once again. Because of the episodic nature of periodontal
disease, and in light of the fact that periodontal disease
can reestablish itself in as few as 90 days, the typical
6-month re-care appointment just isn't enough for those
with a history of periodontal disease. Statistics confirm
that re-evaluation at intervals of at least every 3 or
4 months is critical for periodontal patients. This helps
us break the stronghold of bacteria in your gums, minimize
the recurrence of the infection, and slow or eliminate
its destructive effects.
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| Bone and tissue loss can
occur |
Scaling & Root Planing
Routine cleanings in our office remove plaque and
tartar that exist on your teeth above the gum line, butsometimes,
especially if you don’t floss regularly, plaque,
tartar and bacterial toxins can develop below the gum
line. The goal of scaling and root planing is to remove
this source of periodontal infection from below the gum
line on the surfaces of the roots.
The procedure
Normally, we’ll spread scaling and root planing over
several appointments. This will maximize your comfort
and allows us to check on the healing and help you fine-tune
your homecare efforts. To keep you comfortable, we may
give you local anesthetic before the
procedure begins. Then we’ll use either a small scaling
instrument or an ultrasonic scaler to carefully and meticulously
remove plaque and tartar from the top of your tooth all
the way down to the bottom of
the pocket.
Then, we’ll plane — or smooth — the root
surfaces so your gums can heal and reattach to your teeth.
If it appears to be necessary, an antibiotic or alternative
medication will be placed in the pocket after it’s
been scaled and planed to control infection and promote
healing. Oral antibiotics might also be prescribed to
further combat the infection. Once the source of infection
has been removed, your gums will begin to heal, and will
once again tighten around your teeth.
Maintaining periodontal health
Homecare is the key to continuing the healing process.
Since brushing and flossing only removes plaque about
three millimeters below the gum line, you’ll need
special tools to clean the affected areas. As part of
your treatment, we’ll provide you with the tools
and techniques you’ll need to thoroughly clean and
maintain these areas.
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| Scaling |
Root planing depth |
Specialized homecare |
Microscopes & Perio Disease
How can a microscope help us treat
and manage periodontal disease?
We use a microscope as a tool to help us treat and manage
periodontal disease, also called gum disease. A microscope
is helpful because the bacteria that cause periodontal
disease cannot be seen with the naked
eye.
These bacteria thrive below your gum line, and multiply
rapidly, producing toxins. It's these toxins, combined
with your body's response to them that destroy the gums,
bone and connective tissue that hold your teeth in place.
If periodontal disease is left untreated, you may lose
your teeth.
Signs of periodontal disease
Most people who suffer from periodontal disease aren't
aware of it until the condition becomes serious, because
early periodontal disease may not produce any symptoms.
The good news is that we can detect the signs and symptoms
of periodontal disease during your twice-yearly hygiene
appointment.
However, you should schedule an appointment immediately
if you have any of the following symptoms:
• Your gums are red, swollen, tender, or bleed easily
• Your gums are pulling away from your teeth
• You suffer from persistent bad breath or a bad
taste in your mouth
How we use a microscope
We'll take a small plaque sample from a pocket between
your tooth and gums, and place it on a slide. If you have
active periodontal disease, we'll see an increase in a
specific kind of bacteria on the slide. These bacteria
are called spirochetes. You'll see your own slides when
we use the microscope to help you judge the success of
your own periodontal treatment. That way, you may be able
to see the return to health in your own mouth after root
planing.
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| Bacteria |
Inflamed gums |
Monitoring your progress |
