March 18, 2024
Facts You Didn’t Know About Periodontal Disease

Facts You Didn’t Know About Periodontal Disease

Periodontal diseases are one of the most common oral issues affecting patients worldwide. With proper treatment and proper oral hygiene, you will be able to eliminate any developing periodontal disease and maintain a healthy dentition. Dental Studios provides the best Summit periodontal therapy to relieve symptoms of chronic inflammatory periodontal diseases.

Understanding Periodontics

Periodontics is a specialty that involves the prevention, diagnostics, and treatment of dental diseases. Periodontics therapies are usually done to preserve the natural dentition and maintain and improve periodontal health and function.

What to Expect During a Periodontal Examination?

Every visit to the dentist involves a comprehensive periodontal assessment. Your dentist should first discuss your complaint and review your medical and dental history. To assess your current periodontal status, your dentist will perform individual genetic and biochemical tests. The thorough clinical examination may involve additional radiographic analysis to detect non- periodontal oral diseases’ presence and severity and determine the ideal treatment plan for your condition. A periodontal examination may include the following procedures:

  • Assessing the degree of dental and implants mobility
  • Occlusal examination
  • Caries assessment
  • Assessment of the status of prosthetic appliances

Types of Periodontal Diseases

The types of periodontal diseases vary depending on the location and cause of the disease. However, periodontal diseases mostly refer to gum conditions. Some of the common types of periodontal (gum) diseases include:

  • Gingivitis: This is the most common type of gum disease caused by inadequate oral hygiene leading to the accumulation of plaque and bacteria in the gingiva. Gingivitis causes irritation, inflammation, and reddening of the gums.
  • Peri-implant mucositis: This condition affects patients with dental implants. When the soft tissues surrounding the dental implants become infected, inflammation occurs. The leading cause of peri-implant mucositis is poor oral hygiene.
  • Peri-implantitis: This condition is a destructive form of peri-implant mucositis. Inflammation on the soft tissues surrounding dental implants causes alveolar bone loss.
  • Aggressive periodontitis: The progression of this disease causes periodontal tissue loss.
  • Chronic periodontitis: This condition affects the oral cavity and is characterized by chronic inflammation of periodontal tissues. The accumulation of dental plaque causes chronic periodontitis.
  • Necrotizing periodontal disease: This condition is characterized by oral ulceration, causing necrosis.

Treatment Plans for Periodontal Diseases

There is a wide range of periodontal treatment therapies.  Treatment in periodontics usually involves:

  • Patient education: Your dentist will train you on proper personal hygiene practices.
  • Eliminating the root cause of the periodontal disease: Most diseases acquire bacterial plaque and calculus removal.
  • Post-treatment procedures: Your dentist will recommend follow-up visits to evaluate your oral healing progress

Examples of periodontal treatment procedures include:

  • The use of chemotherapeutic agents to reduce and eliminate oral pathogens.
  • Respective procedures to facilitate effective oral hygiene by reducing periodontal pockets, thus reducing plaque accumulation.
  • Various gum procedures, for example, gingivectomy and genioplasty.
  • Periodontal regenerative procedures, for example, soft tissue grafts and bone replacement grafts.
  • Periodontal reconstructive procedures, for example, sinus grafting
  • Periodontal plastic surgery to correct soft tissue defects
  • Occlusal therapy
  • Selective tooth extraction
  • Tooth replacements using dental implants

It is essential to preserve your smile’s integrity by maintaining proper oral hygiene to prevent the development of periodontal diseases. To learn more about periodontal diseases, contact The Dental Studios by phone or schedule an appointment online today.