What to Know About Periodontal Disease  

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There is a lot of misconception about periodontal disease. Since it affects the teeth, many people think that periodontal disease is all about the teeth. However, it’s actually a disease that affects the gums first, which leads to problems with teeth. In fact, periodontal disease is a serious gum infection that impacts the area surrounding the roots of the teeth, the alveolar bone and the periodontal ligament. Read on to learn more about periodontal disease.

Periodontal Disease is Preventable

In the vast majority of cases, periodontal disease could have been prevented. Regular teeth cleanings and visits to the dentist can take care of early signs of issues with the gums.

Periodontal Disease Starts With Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the early stage of periodontal diseases. While periodontal disease affects areas in addition to the gums, gingivitis affects only the gum tissue.

Dental Plaque Leads to Periodontal Disease

If you are wondering where the bacteria in periodontal disease comes from, look no further than dental plaque. Dental plaque is that hard, white build-up on your teeth that dental hygienists are always trying to get rid of. This is why routine teeth cleanings are so important throughout your life.

Periodontal Disease is Treatable

The good news is that your Albany dentist can treat periodontal disease. Depending upon the extent of the disease progression, your dentist may or may not be able to save affected teeth. However, with expedient, efficient treatment, periodontal disease can be halted.

Treatment For Periodontal Disease

To prevent tooth loss, periodontal disease needs to be vigorously treated. Available treatments include:

  • Deep Cleaning and Scaling
  • This gets rid of plaque build up on the teeth and beneath the gum line.
  • Laser Treatment
  • The latest advance against periodontal disease is laser treatment, which kills the bacteria that damages teeth, gums and supporting structure.
  • Home Maintenance
  • Your at-home oral hygiene is essential. Your periodontist in Albany will guide you as to what you need to do to ensure that periodontal disease does not return.

For more information and help with periodontal disease, please contact us today.

 

Laser Periodontal Therapy: Patient FAQs

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The many innovations and evolutions of dental care over the years have yielded impressive insight into how to best treat gum disease. Laser treatment is used in a multitude of ways in modern dental treatment; it is safe, effective, ad oftentimes less intrusive than other treatment methods. Laser periodontal treatment is no different.

How effective is laser periodontal therapy?

Laser periodontal therapy for gum disease is considered to be highly effective. Essentially, the diseased soft tissue is removed through therapy so new tissue can grow and the gums can properly heal. Some of the benefits of this form of treatment over the typical procedure of scaling and root planing include:

  • The laser is more capable of pinpointing small areas of tissue
  • The tissue can be immediately coagulated to encourage faster healing
  • The patient may not feel as much discomfort during and after the procedure

Does laser periodontal therapy hurt?

One of the bigger advantages of laser therapy for gum disease is the fact that it is not such a lengthy procedure. Normally, scaling and root planing can take several visits to complete because the dentist has to carefully work on the tissue just at the gumline. Laser therapy can be generally painless for the patient. Some patients will not even need to be injected with localized anesthetic.

How long will it take to heal after treatment?

You should start to heal relatively quickly after the procedure. The laser does not cause as much trauma to the gum tissue, which means less swelling and inflammation. Less inflammation can mean faster healing times overall.

An Albany Biologic Dentist Can Help with Laser Periodontal Therapy

Biologic dentists take the most innovative approaches to some of the most common oral health concerns. If you are interested in laser treatment for periodontal issues, reach out to us at Dental Wellness of Albany, NY to schedule a consultation.