You may be suffering from gum disease if your gums are sore, inflamed, or if they bleed easily. If gum disease is left untreated, it can lead to a variety of health problems, including tooth loss and oral pain, and systematic health problems like heart disease and diabetes. At Trine Dental Group, our dentist is happy to offer a variety of services to prevent and treat periodontal disease. If you have gum disease in Orland Park, Illinois, Dr. Christopher Pavletic will recommend the treatment that is best for you.
Gum disease, which is also called periodontal disease, is a degenerative condition that is caused by the bacteria in plaque. The bacteria cause inflammation and infection in the gums. When left untreated, this can cause the gums to pull away from the teeth. If gum disease is left untreated, bone loss, tooth loss, and gum tissue recession can be the result.
Symptoms of gum disease include:
- Swollen, red, or tender gums
- Gums that bleed easily
- Loose teeth
- Painful chewing
- Persistent bad breath
- Receding gums
Periodontal treatment is based on your specific needs. Depending on the severity of your case, our dentist may recommend additional professional dental cleanings, improved at-home oral hygiene, scaling and root planing (deep cleaning), or gum surgery.
Scaling and root planing is one of the most common and effective treatments recommended for gum disease before it becomes severe. This is a deep cleaning treatment that includes two main steps:
Scaling: In scaling, we remove plaque and tartar (dental calculus) from the tooth surface.
Root Planing: This step involves cleaning the roots of the teeth, smoothing the root to remove bacterial toxins.
The goals of scaling and root planing are to remove bacteria, plaque, and tartar, and to halt the progress of the disease. We offer anesthetic and other comfort options to make certain that you feel at ease during your treatment. The scaling and root planing treatment will be split up into several appointments, in which we treat one section of the mouth at each appointment.
At Trine Dental, during scaling and root planing, we utilize the NV Laser. We will first use the laser to decontaminate the gum line of each tooth. Laser decontamination, which is generally painless, has been shown to be more effective than antibiotics. Next, we will vaporize diseased tissue and treat the roots around each pocket to allow better growth of new tissue and bone. The laser will not harm healthy gum tissue. Topical anesthesia will be used to avoid any discomfort. After the roots are decontaminated, the gums can reattach to the roots of the teeth.
After your periodontal treatment is under control, you will need periodontal maintenance therapy every three to four months. Our dentist
recommends an herbal based prescription debridement rinse, Trilogy, for a minimum of three months. Trilogy does not kill oral fibroblast cells, which must be present in order for wound healing to occur.
Scaling and root planing may be combined with other types of periodontal therapy. For most patients, scaling and root planing is enough to prevent periodontal disease from progressing further. For more information about the benefits of scaling and root planing, and to learn more about the other types of periodontal treatment we offer, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
We encourage you to contact our office today to learn more and to schedule your next visit.