What
is Periodontal Disease?
It is kind
of important to understand any disease that affects approximately
95 % of the adult population.
Periodontal Disease is a disease of
pockets. A pocket is the space between your gum tissue and the
root of your tooth. This space tends to trap bacteria which can
cause all kinds of problems if left alone. These
pockets are analogous to sending your suit (pant & coat) to be
dry cleaned.
Invariably, some of the lint in your pant & coat pockets is left after
the dry cleaning process. Periodontal pockets tend to trap
bacterial plaque much the same way. The dry cleaners chemicals
can not reach all the way down into the deep recesses of your
pant & coat pockets. Well, neither can your toothbrush reach into
your periodontal pockets to get at those incredibly damaging
bacteria. Soft
Tissue Management Program
reduces your pocket
depths to make them more accessible for cleaning.
What causes
Periodontal disease? Bacterial plaque! Plaque is simply defined as
an organized group of bacteria which causes inflammation and
ultimately the destruction of gum tissues and bone. Of course,
there are other causative factors such as nutrition, genetics,
smoking, missing teeth, poor occlusion (bite), and various
systemic diseases. Bacterial plaque, however, is the primary cause
of Periodontal Disease.
What are the
symptoms?
- Gum
that bleed or are red, swollen
and tender.
- Gums
that have pulled away from the teeth.
- Pus
that appears between the teeth and gums.
- Teeth
that are loose or have changed position.
- Noticeable
mouth odor (Bad Breath) or bad taste in the mouth.
Periodontal
Disease starts with gum inflammation and if not corrected early
can gradually extend below the gum line to the bone that lies
beneath. As more bone is destroyed, teeth become increasingly more
mobile. The time to treat is obviously at the first sign of
inflammation.
Do you have
a pleasant taste in your mouth? Are the soft tissues around your
teeth comfortable and free from bleeding? Are your teeth FIRM?
Will they stay that way? If you answered NO to any of these
questions, you need Soft Tissue Management Program to solve these
problems.
Soft Tissue
Management
Soft Tissue Management
Program which is specifically designed to assist you in
maintaining your periodontal health. The goal of this program is
to control the bacteria that cause the infection. Through root
planning (the mechanical removal of calculus around gums, and
periodontal pockets) proper home care techniques are essential for successful
periodontal therapy and good oral health.
Phases of
Soft Tissue Management Program.
- The
Initial Phase consists of patient education in proper oral
hygiene techniques. Without a strong foundation, a house can
not stand for long!
- The
Treatment Phases involve several appointments (DEPENDING UPON STAGE
OF GUM DISEASE) for the removal of all causative factors
and may include correction of bone and gum defects by surgery, correction of malocclusion (bite)
problems, and the replacement of missing teeth in order to
re-establish proper form and function.
- The
Control Phase begins immediately after the treatment phase.
Once the disease process has been controlled, it is your
responsibility to seek regular preventative treatment. We are
here to help at all times. You need only to ask!
Our Soft Tissue Management Program is designed to instruct our
patients in the techniques necessary to maintain a proper
state of periodontal health. Sometimes it will be necessary to
utilize the skills of a specialist, a Periodontist. In
coordination with the periodontist, your dental team will do
all it can to insure your predictable periodontal health.
If you have any questions regarding this or any other aspect
of your dental care, please let us know.
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