Periodontitis

Periodontitis is defined as inflammation of the soft tissues around the teeth. Its characteristics include swollen, tender gums and it can cause tooth loss. In fact, it is one of the leading causes of tooth loss among adults. This ailment also has been linked to high blood sugar levels, stroke and heart attacks.

Periodontitis begins with plaque that builds up on the teeth below the gum line and irritates the neighboring tissues.  

Periodontal disease treatment can prevent periodontitis. Using a salt water mouth rinse daily can be helpful in preventing periodontal disease from progressing to periodontitis. Oral health care products also are available.  

Treatment for periodontal disease often requires more than routine professional dental cleanings. 

A combination of cleaning and disinfecting has proven to be more effective than doing either alone.  Root planing and scaling also has been successful in healing the gum and bone around the teeth. Periodontics has made significant improvements in treating and managing periodontal problems, both surgically and non-surgically. 

Periodontitis often can be treated via laser pocket decontamination. In this procedure, dental lasers are used to remove bacteria from the periodontal pockets. 

Gum grafts may be required for patients whose gums have slightly receded as a result of periodontitis. Tissue is removed from the roof of the mouth and grafted onto the receded area to cover portions of the root that have been exposed. 

More serious cases are treated with a surgical procedure known as guided tissue regeneration. This process helps to regrow gum and bone tissue that has been lost due to advanced periodontal disease. 

Severe cases may call for bone grafting, if periodontitis has been left untreated long enough that teeth have been lost and the remaining bone has deteriorated. Bone graft procedures include a sinus lift and ridge augmentation.