Learn About Periodontitis
Fresno dentists Dr. Claudia Denes and Dr. Alex Denes are dedicated to providing our Fresno Dental Studio patients with the highest quality dental care possible, and that involves personalizing the dental care to fit a particular patient’s health needs and smile goals. Often this requires using more conservative treatments and procedures to ensure the patient’s overall health while bettering his or her dental health. This is why Dr. Denes offers a number of treatment options for common dental problems. Today, Dr. Denes wants to discuss conservative, non-surgical treatments for periodontitis, which effects approximately 80 percent of the American adult population.
What is Periodontitis?
Gum disease occurs when tartar builds-up at the gum line and attracts a surplus of harmful oral bacteria. These bacteria colonize at the gum line, irritating the gums and eventually forming periodontal pockets between your teeth and gum tissue. In the earliest stages, gum disease is called gingivitis. In more advanced stages, the term periodontitis applies.
Depending on your unique dental needs and the extent of your condition, various treatments are available at each stage of your gum disease. If your gums are mildly irritated, having a professional dental cleaning and brushing and flossing thoroughly and regularly might be enough to rid your mouth of the tartar and harmful bacteria. If your gum disease is slightly more advanced, Dr. Denes might recommend an oral or topical antibiotic and a deep dental cleaning. Read on to find out what treatments are available at Fresno Dental Studio when your gum disease has advance to periodontitis.
How is Periodontitis Treated Non-Surgically?
The American Academy of Periodontology requires periodontitis to be treated in the least invasive and most cost-effective manner possible, and Dr. Denes agrees. That’s why we use non-surgical periodontitis treatments—like scaling and root planing—to help our patients rid their mouths of infection and reclaim optimal oral and overall health.
The goal of scaling and root planing is to clean between the gum tissue and the teeth all the way down to the dental root if necessary. By removing plaque, calculus (tartar), and bacteria from within the periodontal pockets, Dr. Denes will eliminate the force that’s driving the infection.
Depending on the extent of your periodontitis, scaling and root planing can take anywhere from one to four appointments at our Fresno dentist office, and Dr. Denes can administer local anesthesia to keep you comfortable throughout the procedure. Many patients find relief from periodontitis after root planing and scaling, and temporary use of antibiotics and continued professional dental care and at-home dental hygiene can ensure that you have a gum-disease-free future. If you do require further treatment to reclaim healthy teeth and gums, Dr. Denes will discuss possible treatments with you.