Periodontal Care Battleground, WA
Devastating and incredibly progressive, gum disease can completely decimate the oral cavity by destroying not only the teeth and gums but also the supportive jawbone beneath. It is a multi-stage disease that is caused by the naturally occurring bacteria found in the mouth. Unfortunately, this disease can only be cured in the earliest stage. This should be a sobering fact to those patients who always put off brushing and flossing and do not want to come in for their regularly scheduled cleanings.
The earliest stage of the disease is called gingivitis. During this stage, the symptoms and the disease itself can be treated and reversed to restore the oral cavity to health. When it progresses to the more advanced stages of gum disease, only the symptoms can be treated, and the progression of the disease slowed but not cured. For those patients who have symptoms or who have just been diagnosed with periodontal disease, why not come in to discuss your treatment plan with us. Our offices are located at Excel Dental.
Assessment for Gum Disease
Our staff can easily determine if patients are developing periodontal disease and if they are what stage it is in. This helps them best determine what kind of treatment is necessary to combat the disease the most effectively. If the disease is not found, they will weigh the risk factors the patient presents to determine how to proceed. They will examine the teeth and look at how bad the bacteria build-up is and if tartar or plaque is present. Pocket depth is also very important too. These are the spaces between the gums and the teeth. There will also be x-rays taken to determine how bad the jawbone is.
Non-Surgical Treatments
Believe it or not, there are non-surgical treatments available. Most people immediately think of long, involved surgeries, invasive in nature but this is not always the case. Periodontal maintenance is the deep-cleaning procedure which is performed to combat the symptoms and to slow the disease. Root scaling is another non-surgical procedure which utilizes a soft tissue laser to eradicate tartar, plaque, and even the bacteria from the oral cavity. Smoothing the root’s surface, root planing is another procedure that is not considered a surgical procedure. It keeps the roots smooth, so bacteria are unable to cling to them. Many of these techniques also employ the use of antibiotics. Due to the infection being bacterial in nature, the use of antibiotics can greatly impact the disease.
Surgical Treatment Options
During the earliest stage, non-surgical treatments will work perfectly, however, when it progresses to the late stages, surgical intervention is needed. One of the most frequently performed surgeries is known as flap surgery. This is used to shrink the size of the pockets which can form along the base of the tooth and gumline. In some cases, gum grafts may be used to rebuild lost gum tissue. For those situations which need bone mass restored, bone grafts will be employed.
Please contact us at Excel Dental with questions you need answered. You can also reach us at this number (360) 369-3930 to schedule your appointment today. |