What is Periodontal Diesease?
The dentists at our Langley office focus on the prevention of periodontal diseases which are infections of the structures around the teeth, which include the gums, periodontal ligament and alveolar bone.
In the earliest stage of periodontal disease — gingivitis — the infection affects the gums. In more severe forms of the disease, all of the tissues are involved.
Periodontal Specialists in Langley
If your periodontitis is advanced, we refer patients to the Periodontists at Proactive Periodontics in Burnaby for specialized treatment and management of periodontal (gum) disease.
Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy
Non-surgical treatments remove plaque and calculus by controlling the growth of harmful bacteria and by treating conditions that encourage gum disease. This type of treatment may be all that's needed if periodontal disease is caught early. You may need to have worn filling replaced or crowns with overhanging margins fixed before periodontal therapy can begin.
Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling removes plaque and calculus from the teeth at and slightly below the gumline. Root planing smooths root surfaces, so the supportive tissues can reattach to the tooth surface. Often, this will be done with local anesthesia so you feel nothing as we rehabilitate your gums.
Antibiotics
Periodontitis is a bacterial disease so the key to controlling it is to remove the harmful bacteria. Antibiotics may be provided in either pill form or applied directly to the infected area (gum pocket) in the form of antibiotic powder. An antibacterial mouth rinse also may be prescribed to help reduce bacterial plaque.
Occlusal Adjustment
An improper bite or a traumatic occlusion may increase bone destruction attached to such offending teeth. We may either choose to adjust your bite so that your teeth meet properly and function better or construct a custom bite guard or splint - a removable device that fits over upper or lower teeth - to protect teeth surfaces and relax tense jaw muscles.
Periodontal Surgery
If you're diagnosed with periodontal disease, your dentist or periodontist may recommend periodontal surgery. While it is always preferable to start with less invasive measures, whenever possible, periodontal surgery becomes necessary when your periodontist determines that the tissue around your teeth is unhealthy and cannot be repaired with non-surgical treatment.
Pocket Depth Reduction
In a normal mouth, free of periodontal disease, your bone and gum tissue fit snugly around your teeth like a turtleneck around your neck. When you have periodontal disease, this supporting tissue and bone is destroyed, forming "pockets" around the teeth, creating a space for debris to become trapped and bacteria to grow.
Over time, these pockets become deeper, providing a larger space for these bacteria to live. As bacteria develop around the teeth, they can accumulate and advance under the gum tissue. These deep pockets collect even more bacteria, resulting in further bone and tissue loss. Eventually, if too much bone is lost, the teeth will no longer have a solid foundation and will become lose and need to be extracted.