Perio Maintenance

 

Periodontal (gum) maintenance or supportive therapy is an ongoing program focusing on the prevention and return of gum disease. The phases of this treatment allow Dr. Patla to assess your periodontal health, and make sure infection stays under control. During maintenance therapy, the mouth will be examined, new tartar and plaque will be removed, and if necessary, the teeth will be polished and the bite will be checked.

 

 

Scaling & Root Planning

Periodontal procedures are available in order to regenerate gum and bone tissue to their original function and cosmetic appearance.
 
The type of treatment will depend on the progression of the disease and the individual patient. Many times, if in an early stage, periodontal disease can be treated best with non-surgical methods. The first step is usually a thorough cleaning and scaling to remove any plaque or tartar that has formed below the gum line.
 
 

Subgingival Scaling: Cleaning the tooth below the gumline

Depending on the severity and progression of the disease, the roots of the teeth may also have to be planned to smoothen them, allowing for gum tissue to heal and reattach to the tooth. In some cases, your bite may also require adjustment.
 
 
 
 
Root Planing: Smoothing the tooth root
This procedure is called root planning. Four to six weeks after planning is completed, the pockets surrounding the gums often shrink and are eliminated. The patient can then maintain these areas by brushing and flossing daily.
 
 
Even with the most severe gum disease cases, non-surgical methods often precede surgical ones. This is done so that the quality of the tissue is improved prior to surgery, and that the area requiring surgery is limited as well.
 
Antibiotics may be recommended for some patients with advanced cases of gum disease in order to help control bacteria that cause periodontitis from growing. In some cases, Dr. Patla may place antibiotic gels in the periodontal pockets after scaling and planing. This may be done to control infection and to encourage normal healing, and is often an alternate to surgical treatment, especially on teeth in the front of your mouth, also known as the “smile zone”.
 

Osseous Surgery 

It is not easy to keep deep pockets surrounding the teeth clean and free of plaque just by brushing and flossing alone. The spaces under the gums may even be too deep for Dr. Patla to thoroughly clean. If that is the case, we may decide that surgery is needed to remove the deposits beneath the gum line. We will recontour the damaged bone, and position the gum tissue so that it is even with the bone level to reduce the pockets, and minimize the spaces under the gums where disease-causing bacteria can hide.

 

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