Periodontal Maintenance & Gum Surgery
If you have been diagnosed with gum disease in Wayne, NJ, your dentist may have recommended scaling and root planing or osseous gum surgery, followed by a stringent periodontal maintenance regimen. Depending on how far your gum disease has advanced, you may be able to address periodontal disease with noninvasive treatment, or scaling and root planing therapy. However, gum surgery (osseous surgery or LANAP therapy) may be required to treat the damage and help save the teeth if the condition has progressed to advanced stages.
Scaling And Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is a deep cleaning performed by a dental hygienist. Some patients require anesthetic for this procedure, as the hygienist will be cleaning both above and below the gums and on the roots of the teeth. Tartar and plaque deposits are removed, allowing for reattachment of the gum tissues to the teeth.
Osseous Gum Surgery
Osseous gum surgery may be necessary for patients who have advanced stages of periodontal disease, and for whom scaling and root planing will not likely be effective. During this procedure, the tissues are numbed and then retracted to allow access to the root surfaces and bone tissue. Any tartar is removed and bone irregularities caused by periodontal disease smoothed to allow for tissue reattachment. The treated sites are sutured and allowed to heal.
This procedure effectively helps to eliminate periodontal pockets, or the spaces between the teeth in which bacteria proliferate, enabling patients to better perform homecare techniques. It can also help to arrest the advancement of this progressive oral infection.
Periodontal Maintenance
Once you have been treated for gum disease in Wayne, NJ it is extremely important to follow a strict periodontal maintenance regimen to maintain the gum tissues and manage oral bacteria. In addition to thorough homecare (brushing and flossing regularly),you must also schedule periodontal maintenance cleanings, usually every three months, to help prevent periodontal disease from progressing.
There is no cure for gum disease in Wayne, NJ but together we can work to maintain a healthy oral environment.Been diagnosed with gum disease and have questions about periodontal treatments? Patients from Franklin Lakes, Kinnelon, Montville, Oakland, Pompton Lakes and Wayne, NJ are urged to schedule an appointment with Dr. Laurence Breiterman.
