Periodontic or Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss, described as swelling, soreness or infection of the tissues supporting the teeth.
Gum disease is an inflammation of the gums that can progress to affect the bone that surrounds and supports your teeth. It is caused by the bacteria in plaque, a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth.
There are three stages of gum disease:
Gingivitis: this is the earliest stage of gum disease, an inflammation of the gums caused by plaque buildup at the gumline. If daily brushing and flossing do not remove the plaque, it produces toxins (poisons) that can irritate the gum tissue, causing gingivitis. You may notice some bleeding during brushing and flossing. At this early stage in gum disease, damage can be reversed, since the bone and connective tissue that hold the teeth in place are not yet affected.
Periodontitis: at this stage, the supporting bone and fibers that hold your teeth in place are irreversibly damaged. Your gums may begin to form a pocket below the gumline, which traps food and plaque. Proper dental treatment and improved home care can usually help prevent further damage.
Advanced Periodontitis: in this final stage of gum disease, the fibers and bone supporting your teeth are destroyed, which can cause your teeth to shift or loosen. This can affect your bite and, if aggressive treatment can’t save them, teeth may need to be removed.
How do you know if you have gum disease?
You can notice any of the following symptoms:
- Gums that are red, puffy or swollen, or tender
- Gums that bleed during brushing or flossing
- Teeth that look longer because your gums have receded
- Gums that have separated, or pulled away, from your teeth, creating a pocket
- Changes in the way your teeth fit together when you bite
- Pus coming from between your teeth and gums
- Constant bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth
How to treat you teeth if you have gum disease?
Treatment will depend on the type of periodontal disease and how far the condition has progressed.
- Non surgical treatment
- Surgical treatment
Non surgical treatment:
- Oral Hygiene : The early stages of gum disease can often be reversed with proper brushing and flossing. Good oral health will help keep plaque from building up.
- Scaling: Removes contamination toxins, micro-organisms, plaque, tartar, cementum, dentin that is rough and/or permeated by calculus from around, below and under the gum line down to the bottom of the pocket. This is done to remove biofilm, calculus, and toxin down to the bottom of each periodontal pocket in order to obtain a healing response.
Root planning is the plaque that is more likely to stick to rough surfaces. For this reason, the root surface is made smooth in a process and removes any remaining calculus and smooths irregular areas of the root surface.
Surgical treatment:
- Gingivectomy is the removal of gum tissue (gingiva) by surgery. Gingivoplasty is a type of gum surgery used to reshape healthy gum tissue around teeth. Periodontists typically perform both types of surgery. These dentists specialize in treating gums and the other structures that support teeth.
Gingivectomy first was developed to treat periodontal disease. Now, it can do more than only treatment it can do to remove overgrown gum tissue and improve the appearance of gums. Gum tissue may need to be removed for two reasons:
- Gaps (pockets) have formed between the teeth and gums. This can trap bits of food, harbor colonies of bacteria, and make it difficult to keep the area clean. If the pockets involve only soft tissue, they can be removed by a gingivectomy (trimming of the gums).
- There is too much gum tissue around the teeth. Some people don’t like how this looks and want to have it removed. It also can make teeth and gums hard to keep clean. In severe cases, this condition can interfere with chewing and speech. Excess growth of gum tissue can be caused by certain medicines. Sometimes there is no apparent cause.
Periodontics fee
- Scalling and polishing 800 – 1,000 Full mouth
- Root planning 8,000 Full mouth
The cost for gingivectomy surgical need consultation first.
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