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Periodontal Therapy


Periodontal diseases are an infection of the gum tissue caused by plaque bacteria. Gingivitis is the early stage, when the gums become red, swollen, and easily bleed. It can be treated with flossing and careful brushing. Periodonititis is the advanced stage when gums can become damaged and teeth can be lost.

Once considered just a local problem of the mouth and gums, it is now understood that periodontal disease has great systemic consequences. Periodontal bacteria can enter the blood stream and travel to major organs. Research is suggesting that this may:
  • Contribute to the development of heart disease, the nation's leading cause of death.
  • Increase the risk of stroke.
  • Increase a woman's risk of having a preterm, low birth weight baby.
  • Pose a serious threat to people whose health is compromised by diabetes, respiratory diseases, or osteoporosis.
  • Periodontal diseases may contribute to the progression to prediabetes, according to a new study that appears in the March issue of the Journal of Periodontology.
  • Research presented in a recent paper by Tonetti et al published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) suggests that intensive periodontal treatment may reverse atherosclerosis by improving elasticity of the arteries, or endothelial function. Findings from previous studies have suggested a link between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis and proposed that periodontal treatment may reduce cardiovascular risk.

Periodontal diseases are usually painless, and may develop slowly or progress quite rapidly. Unless you have regular dental checkups, you may not be aware you have a periodontal disease until you have been so seriously damaged, that tooth loss is inevitable. If red, swollen, receding or bleeding gums do occur, we incorporate a definitive periodontal rehabilitation program to get your teeth and gums healthy again. Periodontal (gum) diseases, including gingivitis and periodontitis, are serious infections that, left untreated, can lead to tooth loss. Periodontal disease is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth.

Periodontal disease can affect one tooth or many teeth. It begins when the bacteria in plaque (the sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth) causes the gums to become inflamed.

In the mildest form of the disease, gingivitis, the gums redden, swell and bleed easily. There is usually little or no discomfort. Gingivitis is often caused by inadequate oral hygiene. Gingivitis is reversible with professional treatment and good oral home care.

Untreated gingivitis can advance to the more serious for of the disease; periodontitis. With time, plaque can spread, grow and calcify or harden below the gum line. Toxins produced by the bacteria in plaque irritate the gums. The toxins stimulate a chronic inflammatory response and the tissues and bone that support the teeth are broken down and destroyed. Gums separate from the teeth, forming pockets (spaces between the teeth and gums) that become further infected. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. Initially, this destructive process has very mild symptoms. Eventually, teeth can become loose and painful and may have to be removed.

Stages of Periodontal Disease

The following list includes the most common forms of periodontal disease:

Gingivitis
Gingivitis the mildest form of periodontal disease. It causes the gums to become red, sore, swollen, and bleed easily. There is usually very little or no discomfort at this stage. Gingivitis is reversible with periodontal treatment and good at home oral care.

Aggressive Periodontitis
A form of periodontitis that occurs in patients who are otherwise clinically healthy. Common features include rapid attachment loss and bone destruction. There often a familial tendency to the disease.

Chronic Periodontitis
A form of periodontal disease resulting in inflammation of the supporting tissues of the teeth, progressive attachment and bone destruction and is characterized by pocket formation and/or recession of the gingiva. It is the most frequently occurring form of periodontitis. It can occur at any age. There may be little to no discomfort experienced even at this stage.

Periodontitis due to Systemic Diseases
Periodontititis, often with onset at a young age, associated with one of several systemic diseases, such as diabetes.

Necrotizing Periodontitis
An infection characterized by necrosis of gingival tissues, periodontal ligament and alveolar bone. These lesions are most commonly observed in individuals with systemic conditions including, but not limited to, HIV infection, malnutrition and immunosuppression.

Periodontal Therapies

At Mid-Valley Dental Care, the doctors are highly trained in the latest techniques to combat periodontal disease. Some of the therapies include:
  • Pocket Reduction Procedures
  • Periodontal Antibiotic and Antibacterial Therapies
  • Laser Therapy
  • Regenerative Procedures
  • Crown Lengthening
  • Soft Tissue Grafts
  • Ridge Augmentation
  • Dental Implants