Periodontal Disease Treatment

Advanced Gum Disease Treatment With Your Cary Dentist

You may not realize it but swollen and bleeding gums can be a whole lot more serious than “I guess I need to floss a little bit more”. According to a recent study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention almost half of Americans suffer from varying degrees of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease first effects the gums of your mouth, but continuing research shows there is a significant link between your oral health and your overall health. Some even tie heart disease, diabetes, pancreatic cancer and even low birth-weight babies directly to periodontal disease.

Dr. Acton and his dedicated team at Cary Family Dental near Morrisville and Apex, NC have invested the time and resources to understand periodontal disease and how to effectively treat it. In fact, we offer a leading-edge gum disease treatment technology called LANAP.

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Types of Gum Disease

Untreated gingivitis can advance to periodontitis and can eventually lead to tooth loss and other health problems.

GINGIVITIS

Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal disease. It causes the gums to become red, swollen, and bleed easily. There is usually little or no discomfort at this stage.
Gingivitis is often caused by inadequate oral hygiene. Gingivitis is reversible with professional treatment and good oral home care.

PERIODONTITIS

Untreated gingivitis can advance to periodontitis. With time, plaque can spread and grow below the gum line. Toxins produced by the bacteria in plaque irritate the gums. The toxins stimulate a chronic inflammatory response in which the tissues and bone that support the teeth are broken down and destroyed. Gums separate from the teeth, forming pockets (spaces between the teeth and gums) that become infected. As the disease progresses, the pockets deepen and more gum tissue and bone are destroyed. Often, this destructive process has very mild symptoms. Eventually, teeth can become loose and may have to be removed.

There are many forms of periodontitis. The most common ones include the following.

  • Aggressive periodontitis occurs in patients who are otherwise clinically healthy. Common features include rapid attachment loss and bone destruction and familial aggregation.
  • Chronic periodontitis results in inflammation within the supporting tissues of the teeth, progressive attachment and bone loss. This is the most frequently occurring form of periodontitis and is characterized by pocket formation and/or recession of the gingiva. It is prevalent in adults, but can occur at any age. Progression of attachment loss usually occurs slowly, but periods of rapid progression can occur.
  • Periodontitis as a manifestation of systemic diseases often begins at a young age. Systemic conditions such as heart disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes are associated with this form of periodontitis.
  • Necrotizing periodontal disease is an infection characterized by necrosis of gingival tissues, periodontal ligament and alveolar bone. These lesions are most commonly observed in individuals with systemic conditions such as HIV infection, malnutrition and immunosuppression.

What is LANAP?”

LANAP (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure) is a phenomenal new periodontal disease treatment technology designed to offer a better solution than those of gum disease treatment protocols of years past. Older periodontal disease treatments called for invasive treatments; cutting and drilling away tooth and gums, or even extracting teeth entirely. The LANAP treatment allows us to remove the periodontal disease and bacteria with laser precision… literally! Your gums can then heal quickly and return to their natural, healthy state.
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Treatment Options

Periodontal health should be achieved in the least invasive and most cost-effective manner. This is often accomplished through non-surgical periodontal treatment, but if it does not achieve periodontal health, surgery may be needed.

SCALING & ROOT PLANNING

Scaling and root planing is a careful cleaning of the root surfaces to remove plaque and tartar from deep periodontal pockets and to smooth the tooth root to remove bacterial toxins. Scaling and root planing is sometimes followed by adjunctive therapy on a case-by-case basis.

Most periodontists would agree that after scaling and root planing, many patients do not require any further active treatment. However, the majority of patients will require ongoing maintenance therapy to sustain health.

PERIO MAINTENANCE

After scaling you come back 6 weeks later to have your first perio maintenance (PMX) to check pockets and how your gums are healing. Periodontal maintenance is similar to regular dental appointments, but provides a deeper cleaning on a more frequent basis.

LANAP

(Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure) is a phenomenal new periodontal disease treatment technology designed to offer a better solution than those of gum disease treatment protocols of years past. Older periodontal disease treatments called for invasive treatments; cutting and drilling away tooth and gums, or even extracting teeth entirely. The LANAP treatment allows us to remove the periodontal disease and bacteria with laser precision. Your gums can then heal quickly and return to their natural, healthy state.

Benefits of LANAP Periodontal Disease Treatment

MORE COMFORTABLE | No cutting. No stitches. Less bleeding. LANAP periodontal disease treatment is much more comfortable than previous treatment options. This means you can get the care you need and don’t need to worry about the discomfort previously associated with gum disease treatment.

QUICK HEALING | Because the source of inflammation is (gum disease) is removed and less invasive methods are used, your down time turns into up time much faster.

SAVES TEETH | The laser precision of LANAP allows us to exactly address and eradicate the harmful bacteria and disease without needing to remove teeth.

If you have sore or bleeding gums and are hesitant to visit the dentist to address it, stop! We can effectively and comfortably treat the issue and restore you to optimal oral health, so call us today at Cary Family Dental if you are in Morrisville or Apex, NC!

Periodontal Disease FAQs

What can I do to minimize my risk of periodontal disease?
To minimize your risk of future periodontal disease, you must be mindful of the risk factors stated above. Gingivitis is usually well managed by adopting excellent oral hygiene practices. Periodontitis is more difficult to manage. Protocols recommended by your dentist may include:

Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy

  • Root cleaning (scaling and root planing) at the appropriate intervals to manage your risk for bone loss
  • Antibacterial mouth rinses
  • Oral antibiotics
  • Customized home care instruction
  • Smoking cessation counseling
  • Surgical Periodontal Therapy
  • Recontouring of gum and bone around affected teeth to allow better access for professional root cleaning and daily home care

Surgical Periodontal Therapy

  • Recontouring of gum and bone around affected teeth to allow better access for professional root cleaning and daily home care
What happens if I do nothing about my periodontal disease?
As uncontrolled periodontitis is progressive in nature, it will lead to increased bone loss and eventual tooth loss; ultimately affecting your ability to eat and speak. There are also connections between periodontal disease and other chronic diseases of the body such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. In pregnant women, periodontal disease is strongly linked to preterm, low birth weight.