Gum Disease Treatment in Catford
Until recently, periodontitis, 9gum disease), was considered to be only a dental problem with little or no effect on our overall health and well-being. However, recent research shows that this is not true. Periodontal disease can seriously affect the heart and has been shown to contribute to heart disease, as well as other disorders.
Periodontal disease is a serious infection caused by plaque bacteria. Although most of the bacteria are confined to the pockets around the teeth, they can invade the gum tissue and enter the bloodstream, circulating throughout the body.
When you come to our office for a complete examination, we will include a thorough periodontal evaluation. This is a service you should insist on. How much value is there to have us create a beautiful smile, for example, only to lose your teeth prematurely to gum disease? If we want our work to last, we have to give high priority to the health of your gums.
Symptoms of Gum Disease | ||
The problem with gum disease is that most symptoms don’t appear until it’s too late to treat it. Common symptoms are:
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But if you wait until these symptoms appear, you’re at high risk of losing your teeth. That’s why a periodontal examination is so important and why Dr. Nelson feels strongly about providing this service to you. Too often, people don’t know they have serious periodontitis until it’s too late.
Bleeding gums are a symptom that some people experience, and this will occur in gingivitis, which is an early stage of gum disease. Your gums aren’t supposed to bleed, and if this occurs, it generally indicates that the teeth aren’t being cleaned properly.
Treatment of gum disease
Traditional treatment for periodontitis involves “scaling and root planing,” which is about as unpleasant as it sounds. A dental hygienist usually performs scaling and root planing with hand instruments to remove calculus. Calculus is a hard deposit on your teeth that occurs both above and below the gumline and is an irritant that leads to infection and bone loss. But scaling and root planing doesn’t remove the biofilm that houses the bacteria, so its effectiveness is limited.
The most advanced technology available at our Hillview Dental Centre in Catford to treat periodontitis is to use micro-ultrasonic instruments and lasers. This combination of technologies actually eliminates the infection rather than managing periodontal disease. A special laser is used to sterilize the periodontal pockets and remove any infected tissue. As the old tissue is removed the body’s natural healing response takes over. The formerly infected tissue reattaches to the bone and the gums return to a healthy, infection-free state. The laser is specifically designed to seek out periodontal infection and does not harm the teeth or other healthy tissue. This is one of the amazing characteristics of lasers. The hygienist calibrates the laser to provide just the right amount of power to treat your gums without causing undue pain or trauma to the tissue. Periodontal laser therapy actually removes the infection and the cost is significantly less than other alternatives that might eventually result in surgery.
Allow us to help you determine the best treatments for your individual needs and desires. One thing we know for certain: you can have a gorgeous smile.
For further information, please click here for details on how to contact us
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