At first, periodontitis will seem relatively minor. The gums will likely appear slightly swollen and darkened in color, and they may begin to bleed whenever the patient brushes or flosses or when they have their teeth cleaned. While they may feel some slight discomfort at times, many people choose to ignore periodontitis at this time; however, doing this is often a major mistake, as the problem can very quickly develop into something much worse.

The next phase of periodontitis is when the gums begin to retract and pull away from the teeth. Once this happens, empty spaces called periodontal pockets will begin to form. But these spaces usually don’t stay vacant for long, as they provide prime environments for bacteria and plaque. As harmful materials begin to fill these voids, the condition will be able to spread throughout the rest of the mouth more easily.

The condition reaches a particularly serious level if the bacteria and plaque are able to reach the jawbone. If this happens, the structure will begin to decay and deteriorate. The only way to view the true extent of the damage by this critical point is by taking X-rays. As the jawbone and the connective tissues of teeth begin to fail, it is likely that tooth loss will soon follow.

Madison Family Dental provides scaling and root planing treatment that is designed to stop early periodontitis before it spreads to the jawbone and starts causing serious damage to the structure. And if a patient does appear to have suffered from jawbone deterioration, we can provide bone grafting procedures to reverse much of this damage. We very strongly encourage any patient suffering from periodontitis to seek out treatment as early as possible.

Scaling and Root Planing

Scaling and root planing is one of the most highly effective treatments available for early periodontitis. It is separated into two distinct processes, these being scaling, followed by root planing. Scaling involves using special dental tools to access the spaces deep below the gum line so that any bacteria, tartar and plaque that is present in this area can be safely removed. Once the area is clean, root planing is conducted to smooth out any rough spots on the root surfaces. This helps to prevent future accumulations and recurrences. After the unwanted materials have been removed, the gums should begin to heal and return to normal.

Bone Grafting

Bone grafting procedures are used when a patient’s jawbone has deteriorated. Some signs that this has occurred include facial structure loss and tooth loss. To restore the jawbone, we will apply artificial bone material and specialized proteins to the damaged structure. This will help to encourage new bone growth. If any teeth were lost, a strengthened jawbone will allow dental implants to be properly and securely installed.