5 Dental Treatments Offered in Periodontics

When dental trouble kicks in, contacting your dentist is always the best course of action to take. While most general dentists have the training and experience to diagnose and treat a wide range of dental issues, you may need additional help from a periodontist if you have severe gum disease.

Unlike a general dentist, a periodontist has additional years of training and expertise in periodontics. If you don’t know any periodontics near you, it’s best to ask for recommendations from your dentist. This way, you’ll be assured of finding the right help.

What is Periodontics?

Periodontics in Houston, TX is a branch of dentistry that specialises in gums, bones, and other tooth-supporting tissues. A periodontist, on the other hand, is a dentist who specialises in periodontics. If you have a serious periodontal disease, a periodontist may recommend a range of procedures to improve your situation by:

• Preventing future gum disease
• Removing bacteria and tartar from beneath the gums
• Making it easier to clean the teeth
• Reshaping the bones to support the teeth

Who’s a Good Candidate for Periodontics?

The best way to determine whether you’re eligible for periodontics is to visit your dentist for an examination. If your gum disease has progressed to periodontitis, the dentist is likely to refer you to a periodontist.

If you’re experiencing the following symptoms, you might have gum disease:

• Loose teeth
• Bad breath
• Deep pockets between your teeth and gums
• Pain when chewing
• Receding gums
• Swollen, bleeding, and red gums

Once you visit a periodontist, they will examine your condition and let you know if you can benefit from their services. For periodontics in Houston, contact Greater Houston Dental Arts.

Common Periodontics Treatments and Procedures

It’s worth noting that not all periodontal treatments require surgery. For instance, the early stages of gum disease can be treated by deep cleanings, scaling, and root planing. Such procedures work by removing toxins, bacteria, tartar, and plaque from the periodontal pockets.

Below are some of the most common treatments offered in periodontics:

• Scaling and Root Planing

This treatment involves cleaning the root surfaces to remove bacteria, tartar, and plaque. In most cases, this treatment is followed with adjunctive therapy such as host modulation or systemic antibiotics. However, if your condition doesn’t require additional treatment, maintenance therapy is still essential to sustain good health.

• Periodontics Tray Delivery Systems

Thanks to advancements in dental technology, a patient can use periodontal trays for medication delivery. To create the trays, the dentist takes impressions of the patient’s mouth and crafts a tray delivery system. The trays mimic the traditional dentist’s fluoride trays that are used to fight tooth decay.

• Dental Implants

If you’re missing teeth, you can replace them with an implant or alternative restorative procedures such as dental bridges and dentures. Placing an implant involves surgery where a root is placed in the jawbone in a process known as osseointegration. After healing, the dentist attaches an artificial tooth to the implant post.

• Regeneration

Regeneration treatment is a surgical procedure where the dentist folds back the gum tissue to eradicate bacteria. Then, your dentist can use bone grafts, membranes, and proteins to stimulate tissue and regenerate bone.

• Gingivectomy

Gingivectomy, also referred to as crown lengthening or gingival sculpting, is a periodontal surgery in which extra tissue is removed under the gums with a local anesthetic. Once the gums are healed, the gums and bone tissue are reshaped to expose the natural tooth.

Recovery and Healing

How soon you heal and recover will depend on a variety of factors, including:

• The severity of your disease
• Your oral and overall health
• The type of procedure you had
• Aftercare routine

After the treatment, it’s normal to experience some minor discomfort and bleeding. Your dentist is likely to prescribe medications for any side effects such as swelling and pain. With non-surgical treatment, you can be able to resume your daily routine in about a day after the procedure.

For faster healing and recovery, follow your dentist’s instructions to the letter. These instructions may include avoiding smoking, not brushing or flossing in certain areas until they’ve healed, and eating soft foods. Suitable foods to eat include:

• Pudding
• Ice cream and yogurt
• Jell-O
• Pasta
• Mashed potatoes
• Scrambled eggs
• Cottage cheese

Final Verdict

Are you looking for periodontics in Houston, TX? Contact Greater Houston Dental Arts today to schedule your appointment.