Your mouth is considered a gateway to your other body organs. Any disparity or infection in your oral cavity can easily spread to other parts of your body if it is left vulnerable to harmful invaders. Your oral health can greatly impact your physical well-being. Dental problems can lead to compromised health and risk of other diseases. One such oral problem being discussed is periodontal disease.
Gettysburg dentist and their team are highly skilled and specialize in providing comprehensive care in treating patients with periodontal disease. Dive in to explore the different treatment modalities for periodontal disease.
A thoughtful insight into periodontal disease
Periodontal disease or gum disease is a common dental problem that is characterized by the progressive destruction of the supporting structures, namely the gums and jawbone. It begins as an inflammation of the gum but may spread, progressing to the jawbone. If left untreated for a long time, periodontal disease can be the leading cause of tooth loss.
Poor oral hygiene and bacterial infiltration pave the way for increased plaque accumulation, releasing harmful toxins and acids that cause infection and impair your body’s defense system.
Different effective treatment options for periodontal disease
Treatment options include:
- Non-surgical: For mild to moderate periodontal disease.
- Antibiotics
- These are prescribed in the form of oral drugs or topical gels and mouthwash to fight infection
- Scaling and root planing
- Dental cleanings are routine procedures that allow the dentist to eliminate plaque, calculus, and bacteria beneath the gum line.
- Deep scaling involves cleaning the tooth roots to make them smooth, preventing plaque adherence.
- Surgical: For moderate to severe periodontal disease.
- Flap surgery
- A flap incision is raised on your gums and repositioned to the area of the gum defect with an intact blood supply.
- Bone grafting
- This procedure helps to replace the lost bone thickness using a graft material. The graft may be your bone, donated bone, or a synthetic material.
- Gum grafting
- Gum grafting helps treat gum recession by placing a tissue graft around the affected teeth and suturing it.
- The graft is obtained from any part of your oral cavity that covers the exposed tooth roots.
- Guided tissue regeneration
- A special biocompatible material is placed between the bone and your tooth for a regenerative process.
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
- PRP is extracted from your blood sample and injected into the deficient areas to encourage bone growth.
You may not be able to completely reverse periodontal disease, but you can manage the condition and prevent the disease progression with proper care and maintenance. Identify the warning signs and seek dental care as soon as possible.
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