Periodontal Disease is the leading cause of tooth loss worldwide. It develops as bacteria in plaque and tartar attack the soft tissue and bone surrounding teeth. Teeth become loose and eventually need to be extracted. What is usually left is damaged bone that may not be able to support an implant to replace the lost tooth. If numerous teeth have to be extracted, replacement with a denture may become more difficult and may result in a loose denture. Problems with eating and speaking will occur.
Gingivitis: Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums surrounding teeth. It is reversable with proper dental care such as routine professional cleanings and diligent at home care. Gums will appear red and bleeding may occur when brushing and flossing. The bone is not affected.
Aggressive Periodontitis: Periodontitis develops as certain bacteria are able to colonize around and under the gum. Left untreated, the bacteria destroys the attachment of gum tissue to the root of the tooth, thereby developing a "pocket". Deep pockets lead to destruction of the bone surrounding a tooth. Eventually, the tooth becomes loose and has to be extracted. Signs of periodontal disease are bleeding gums with or without pain, loose teeth, and bad breath (halitosis).
Pocket Formation: As mentioned above, pockets form due to loss of attachment of the gum to the tooth. Over time, this can lead to tooth loss. Measuring pocket depths around teeth is a primary way a dentist diagnoses periodontal disease.
Tooth Sensitivity: Periodontal disease can lead to tooth sensitivity, especially to cold. Pocket formation allows for hot and cold fluids to come in contact to exposed roots, which can cause sensitivity. Sometimes this can be severe. We have ways of treating sensitivity here at Lowcountry Dental Center.
Halitosis: Halitosis, or bad breath, can be a symptom of periodontitis. Bacteria produce volatile sulfur compounds which results in bad breath. Treatment includes eliminating the gum disease by non surgical and/or surgical therapies and have the patient use a safe and gentle tongue scraper and a dental rinse that contains chlorine dioxide.
At Lowcountry Dental Center, we provide precise and accurate periodontal treatments to treat bacterial infections in your mouth. The treatments we offer are:
Scaling And Root Planing
Scaling and Root Planing is a non surgical therapy for treatment of periodontitis. Under local anesthesia, hygienists use ultrasonic and hand held instruments to remove tartar and stain from teeth with deep pockets. This reduces inflammation and allows the gum to retighten around the teeth. Sometimes we place an antiobiotic in the pockets to further help in reducing inflammation.
Surgical Treatment
Sometimes, non surgical treatment does not eliminate moderate to severe periodontitis. At that point we may refer the patient to a Periodontist, a dentist trained to surgically repair the gum. Lazers may be used to help eliminate deep pockets in certain cases.
Please reach out to our dental practice at 70 Pennington Dr, Ste 7, Bluffton, SC 29910, to have a consultation with our dentists. Call Dentist in Bluffton, SC or schedule an online consultation, and we'll guide you further.
MON - THU 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
FRI - SUN Closed
70 Pennington Dr, Ste 7, Bluffton, SC 29910
