What are Different Periodontal Treatments & Procedures? | Periodontics
What is Periodontics?
Periodontics deals with diagnosing and treating diseases affecting the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth. The periodontal ligament is a specialized connective tissue attaching the tooth and alveolar bone. It provides attachment for gingiva (gum), cementum, hard palate, soft palate, and sometimes even ankylosis (tissue attachment).
If you have gum disease, it’s time to visit our periodontal dentist in Houston, TX. Your periodontist can help you treat your gums and even prevent future problems. He will check for signs of infection, inflammation, bone loss, or other conditions that may require treatment.
What are the Different Periodontal Treatment Options?
Before getting periodontal gum disease treatment near you, it is important to know the different procedures:
1) Scaling and Root Planing (Deep Cleaning)
Scaling removes plaque, tartar, and calculus from the surface of your teeth. The benefit of scaling and root planing over other treatments is that it is done in your dentist’s office rather than in an emergency room.
How does scaling work? A tiny instrument called a scaler gets into the corners between teeth where there isn’t much space to reach with its tool; this allows them access to areas where bacteria are present more readily than normal cleaning methods would allow.
If you have deep gum pockets, the bacteria that form there can be hard to reach. Our dentist in Houston, TX 77059 will perform a root planing to remove the infection is removed and then stitch it back in place so that it fits more tightly around the tooth.
2) Flap Surgery (Pocket Reduction Surgery)
This procedure is done if you have deep pockets in your gums. It’s often combined with bone and tissue grafts to help make more bone available for attaching to your teeth. It is performed under local anesthetic and takes about 2 hours to complete.
3) Bone Grafting
Bone grafting is performed to treat bone defects. It is performed on anatomic sites where no healthy bony structures are available for transplantation (xerostomia).
4) Tissue Grafts
When you lose gum tissue to the disease, a soft tissue graft is used to repair the damage. The graft can be taken from another part of your mouth.
Tissue grafting is a procedure that involves the transplantation of tissue and is done when you have gum recession. Our periodontist in Houston, TX, 77059, will take soft tissue from the palate and fix it on the gums to stimulate new gum tissue.
Tissue grafts are used in many cases where there is bone loss caused by periodontal disease or trauma to the mouth.
5) Dental Implants
Consult with a periodontist to consider whether teeth implants are the right solution. Next, a small titanium screw is placed into your jawbone where your tooth is missing. This will act as a replacement “root” for your new tooth.
After the implant fuses to the jawbone, the periodontist will place a small connector post called an abutment into the implant. Once the abutment is in place, it can support a dental crown.
The entire process usually takes several months from start to finish, but it’s worth it for the long-term results. Dental implants are strong and durable and look and feel like natural teeth!
6) Teeth Crown Lengthening
Crown lengthening is a surgical procedure performed to expose more of the tooth so that a crown (cap) can be placed over it. The procedure improves the smile’s aesthetics by making the teeth look longer. It can also treat teeth that are too short or have been damaged by decay or injury.
The surgery involves removing some gum tissue around the tooth so that more of the tooth is exposed. This procedure is usually done on the front teeth, but it can be done on any tooth in the mouth.
After the surgery, patients must take care of their teeth and gums to ensure proper healing. They will need to brush and floss regularly and use mouthwash as directed by their dentist or periodontist. It is important to avoid tobacco products and other habits that can damage the gums, such as biting your nails or chewing on hard objects.
Visit a Periodontist Near You
Are you looking for a periodontist in Houston, TX 77059? Call us or book an appointment with American Modern Dental for more information about periodontics and the available procedures.