PERIDONTAL DISEASE
This is mainly caused by the bacteria found in dental plaque.
If untreated, gum disease can destroy the bone and tissues that surround and support the teeth, causing them to become loose and require removal.
Signs and symptoms of gum disease include bleeding gums, bad taste or bad breath, swellings and abscesses, receding gums and drifting teeth.
Not everybody gets gum disease to the same degree. Each individual has a different susceptibility to the bacteria in their mouth.
Factors that can contribute to greater bone destruction include smoking, stress, general health, and diseases such as diabetes and genetic factors.
AIMS OF TREATMENT
The main aim is to stabilise the condition and prevent further bone destruction.
A: ORAL HYGIENE INSTRUCTION
Whatever treatment carried out will not be effective unless you are able to achieve a high standard of oral hygiene.
B: CLEANING/ROOTPLANING
This involves meticulous removal of all the plaque and hard deposits above and below the gum line. The root surfaces are smoothed and cleaned with special instruments. The procedure is always carried out under local anaesthetic so that it is completely painless.
C: REASSESSMENT
If some pockets remain after the initial therapy , further treatment may be required. For most patients, non surgical treatment is all that is required. However, for some advanced cases, surgical treatment may be required after the initial therapy.
D: SURGICAL TREATMENT
Surgery is carried out under local anaesthetic. The gum is raised up around a tooth, providing direct access to the root surface for cleaning. Frequently we also reshape the bone and gum around the tooth, in order to achieve a shape that is more easily cleaned and maintained.
Other surgical procedures include :
Bone regeneration. This is not possible for all patients
Gum grafting to treat recession
Removing diseased roots from teeth with multiple roots to prolong the life of the tooth.
Lengthening teeth to improve appearance or facilitate crown placement.
E: MAINTENENCE
Research into the treatment of gum disease has shown that tperiodontal reatment is only as good as the maintenance programme that follows. Patients are placed in a maintenance programme to ensure that the disease remains stable. They will usually start at 3 monthly intervals. These visits allow us to detect any new disease and treat it very early on . The frequency of these appointments depends on the patient’s susceptibility to disease, the level of disease i.e advanced or mild and the ability of the patient to keep their mouth free of plaque. And the giveaways go to two writing teachersand the giveaways go to thursday april 2, 2009 science homework helper by stacey shubitz the second-ever, month-long slice of life story challenge ended on march 31st