Gum Disease Treatment
What Are My Options
There are a number of conditions that can result from poor oral hygiene including gum disease. Unfortunately, gum disease is very common, and it’s thought that around 90% of the population will suffer from it, in some form or another during their lifetime. That’s the bad news…
The good news is that when it comes to gum disease treatment, patients have several non-surgical and surgical options open to them, depending upon the degree of the problem.
Gum disease types:
• Gingivitis
• Periodontitis
• Acute Necrotising Ulcerative Gingivitis (Or ANUG for short)
Gingivitis and gum disease treatment
Gingivitis is the least serious and most common of all gum disease problems and occurs when plaque is allowed to build up. This, in turn, can lead to inflammation and bleeding gums (typically noticeable when brushing). Gingivitis treatment is pretty straightforward and involves the removal of all plaque in and around the teeth.
This is done using a scaling and polishing technique. Patients may also be given some antibiotics to stop any further inflammation and normally you would expect to see improved results within 10-14 days.
Gum disease treatment for periodontitis
When gingivitis is left untreated, inflammation can spread to the bones and ligaments surrounding the teeth. This is known as periodontitis or periodontal disease. During this stage of the disease, gums may begin to pull away from the teeth creating pockets. Plaque then forms in the pockets which are hard to reach with a toothbrush. The plaque may harden into tartar which can irritate gums further.
To combat this, periodontal treatment can consist of several treatments. These include:
Non-surgical Scaling and Root Planing (SRP)
Scaling first removes any tartar build-up from teeth and root surfaces then planing is carried out to smooth away any rough surfaces on the tooth root where bacteria may otherwise hide. Treatment can take more than one visit and is often carried out chairside under a local anaesthetic.
Laser therapy
During periodontal laser therapy, our dentist uses a dental laser to remove any inflamed gum tissue from around the teeth. This means no surgical cutting and no sutures. Therefore, for our patients at least, a speedier recovery awaits. Gum disease treatment using laser technology also means that problem areas can be targeted precisely and accurately with little or minimum fuss.
Surgical treatments
As a surgical option, the team at Advanced Dental Care can also utilise gum grafts and regenerative bone procedures to replace gums and bone that have been destroyed by advanced periodontal disease. However, these techniques are normally used as a last resort.
Acute Necrotising Gum Disease (ANUG)
If you are seeking gum disease treatment, patients can count on the team at Advanced Dental Care to help. Call today on (02) 6188 7103 to book an appointment.