Procedures and Treatments
Treatments for Gum Disease or Periodontitis
There are many procedures that periodontists perform. These are a few of the most common types of procedures. More information can be found at the American Academy of Periodontology's web site.
Scaling and Root Planing:
This is usually the initial treatment for periodontitis and is basically a thorough, deep cleaning of the teeth and roots below the gum line. The goal is to remove and reduce the amount of bacteria which cause periodontitis and reduce the pockets around the teeth, thereby improving your ability to clean these areas on a daily basis. This bacteria forms the plaque and calculus(tartar) that accumulates on the teeth daily. Scaling and root planing is typically performed over 1-4 visits depending on the severity of the case. A review of thorough oral hygiene techniques are given to the patient to enable them to remove the plaque on their teeth as effectivley and efficiently as possible.
Reevaluation:
After the scaling and root planing has been completed, the tissues are usually allowed to improve over a 3-4 week period to obtain the maximal response. Then a new examination of the gum tissue is performed to assess the response and determine if the situation is stable or further treatment is necessary.
Periodontal Surgery:
Periodontal surgery is usally recommended when the pockets are still too deep to prevent future breakdown. There are 2 main goals of surgery. The first is to gain improved access for us to visualize and clean the roots of the teeth and visibly verify that all calculus and plaque is removed. The second is to physically reposition the gum tissue closer to the bone, thereby reducing the pocket depths as much as possible. This improves the ability of toothbrushes, floss and other instruments to clean the roots on a daily basis.
Other Procedures
Dental Implants:
Dental implants are titanium screws that function as replacements for the roots of teeth. They allow teeth to be replaced through individual crowns or grouped together as a bridge. They can also be used to dramatically help retain dentures. Another advantage of dental implants is that they help prevent bone loss after a tooth is lost. Dr. Garrison has been performing dental implant surgery since 1987 and keeps abreast of the latest technological improvements through annual dental education courses.
We use the latest technology in our dental implant cases to help plan our surgery. This includes using a CBCT scanner(similar to a CAT scan) which gives us a 3 dimensional model of your jaw. Combining these scans with the latest 3D scanning software we are able to analyze and plan cases with great detail. We also now have the latest computer guided surgery system(X-Nav) which allows the computer to guide the actual surgical process. More Info
Free Gingival Graft(Gum):
This is a procedure designed to increase the amount of gum tissue on those teeth which may have experienced recession or loss of gum tissue to the point where it may not be stable.
Crown Lengthening:
A procedure which surgically increases the amount of tooth which is visible, usually to allow your dentist to repair damage from decay or tooth fracture that extends below the gum line. It is also used to increase the amount of tooth structure which can be used to support a new restoration or crown. After the gum has healed your dentist can than perform the restorative treatment, usually a crown or filling.
