Periodontal Disease in Los Gatos, CA
Periodontal Maintenance
Periodontal diseases are infections of the gums, which gradually destroy the support of your natural teeth. There are numerous disease entities requiring different treatment approaches. Dental plaque is the primary cause of gum disease in genetically susceptible individuals. Daily brushing and flossing will prevent most periodontal conditions.
Why Is Oral Hygiene So Important?
Adults over 35 lose more teeth to gum diseases, (periodontal disease) than from cavities. Three out of four adults are affected at some time in their life. The best way to prevent cavities and periodontal disease is by good tooth brushing and flossing techniques performed daily.
Periodontal disease and decay are both caused by bacterial plaque. Plaque is a colorless film, which sticks to your teeth at the gum line. Plaque constantly forms on your teeth. By thorough daily brushing and flossing, you can remove these germs and help prevent periodontal disease.
Periodontal diseases can be accelerated by a number of different factors. However, it is mainly caused by the bacteria found in dental plaque, a sticky colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. If not carefully removed by daily brushing and flossing, plaque hardens into a rough, porous substance known as calculus (or tartar).
Periodontal Disease
Bacteria found in plaque produce toxins or poisons that irritate the gums, which may cause them to turn red, swell and bleed easily. If this irritation is prolonged, the gums separate from the teeth, causing pockets (spaces) to form. As periodontal diseases progress, the supporting gum tissue and bone that hold teeth in place deteriorate. If left untreated, this leads to tooth loss.
Preventing Gum Disease
The best way to prevent gum disease is effective daily brushing and flossing, as well as regular professional dental examinations and teeth cleanings. Unfortunately, even with the most diligent home dental care, people still can develop some form of periodontal disease. Once this disease starts, professional intervention is necessary to prevent its progress.
Other Factors to Consider
Other important factors affecting the health of your gums include:
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Stress
- Clenching and grinding teeth
- Medication
- Poor nutrition
Our Soft Tissue Management Program
Seventy percent of adults suffer from gum disease, and some might not even know it, as its early stages tend to be painless.
A periodontal pocket is where inflammation and infection are present. Periodontal infection, a fancy term for gum disease, can lead to:
- Bad breath
- Bad smell/taste
- Bleeding
- Tender gums
- Tooth loss
Gum disease is also linked to heart attacks, strokes, and diabetic complications. Later stages of the disease involve bone loss.
Soft Tissue Management is an individualized plan designed to eliminate infection of the gums and root surfaces. Your hygienist will choose an appropriate program to address your specific case’s problems.
Aaron A Santos DDS will perform the treatments to help eliminate infection, make recommendations to help you more effectively clean your teeth daily, and guide you through our efforts to achieve and maintain oral health. This is what we call: Soft Tissue Management. Please schedule an appointment with our team. We will devise a customized treatment plan suited perfectly for you.
Our Program
Our program starts with specialized cleaning procedures known as root debridement therapy, designed to remove tartar causing severe discomfort in your gums and roots.
Our team follows this process with an in-office irrigation treatment designed to flush excess bacteria out from below your gumline. The condition is then treated with medicaments that your hygienist will apply with home instructions on caring for your teeth and gums.
A series of additional appointments will be required where we’ll continue to remove bacteria and tartar from your gums. Unfortunately, advanced stages of periodontitis cannot be removed with one visit.
A prophylaxis appointment one-month post-op follows this step, which is designed to eliminate the harmful disease left over.
Following your soft tissue management, you will be placed on a maintenance program with 3-4 month appointments to continue the care of your gums.
Our Goal
The goal of our Soft Tissue management treatment program is to resolve the signs of inflammation, reduce pocket depths, bleeding, and detectable plaque to a level associated with periodontal health. Ideally, we can halt the progression of the periodontal disease.
It is imperative to your health that you commit to the program and follow the instructions of your hygienist! Our hygienists are incredibly knowledgeable and have been extensively trained in the early detection of Periodontal Disease with Advanced Hygiene Procedures and Root Debridement Therapy using Lasers.
Additional Information
Periodontal or gum disease is an infection of the supporting tissues and bone that hold your teeth in place. The condition affects many adults and is usually caused by:
- Poor oral hygiene
- Smoking
- Chronic illnesses and health issues
- Certain medications
- Genetic susceptibility
- Misaligned teeth
- Bruxism
- Stress
Typical treatment for periodontal disease is root debridement therapy, a non-surgical method of detoxifying and decontaminating the teeth and the root surfaces. The area between the gum and the root can regenerate during the healing process. Laser therapy is used to access and remove inflamed gum tissue around the tooth’s root, which a traditional instrument cannot reach.
Benefits of using lasers for excising diseased gum tissue:
- No general anesthetic is needed, as is sometimes required for other forms of dental surgery.
- Lasers can target diseased areas precisely and accurately.
- Bleeding, pain, and swelling are limited because periodontal laser therapy is less invasive than regular surgery.
- Recovery and healing times are shorter.
- Post-Therapy Dental Care.
Maintaining a good oral hygiene program after undergoing periodontal therapy is critical to avoiding a recurrence of inflammation and disease. Our hygienists will choose a customized care plan and develop a personalized oral hygiene program that is easily achieved daily.