Periodontolgy

What is Periodontology?

Periodontolgy is a dental discipline that deals with diagnosis, treatment and prevention of problems in gingival and jaw bone. Periodontology aims that healthy teeth not only have good structure, but also have healthy gingival and jaw bone.

Periodontal disease leads to inflammation of the gums and they may cause loss of teeth, if left untreated. Early diagnosis and correct treatment may prevent gingival diseases.

Periodontologists make a general examination of mouth cavity and diagnoses the problems by evaluating the gingival and other supportive tissues and finally makes treatment plans. Dental scaling, medication treatments or surgical procedures are among the treatment options.

It is known that gingival health influences general body health. Therefore, regular dentist visits and good oral hygiene play a major role not only in prevention of dental health, but also total body health.

What are Periodontal Diseases?

Gingivitis: it implies early-stage inflammation of the gingival. It is usually manifested by bleeding while brushing teeth or spontaneous bleeding. Other signs are gingival swelling and hyperemia.

Periodontitis: it is manifested by aggravation of gingivitis. It is characterized involvement of the bone, which keep the tooth in place, by the gingival inflammation. Advanced-stage periodontitis is associated with gingival recession and risk of losing the tooth.

Gingival recession: Numerous factors (inflammation, abnormal tooth brushing, bruxism etc.) may play a role in gingival recession.

Gummy Smile: gums appear long enough to impair the smile aesthetic while laughing or normal speakin.

What are Periodontal Treatments?

Subgingival curettage: the bacterial toxins, plaques and inflammation tissues that are located beneath the gums are removed under local anesthesia. Subgingival curettage aims to stop loss of bone around the teeth and loss of teeth secondary to inflammation.

Free gingival graft: this method is preferred in absence of “the attached gingiva” that are the protective layers of the gums. Periodontal surgical procedures are performed to reconstruct the attached gingival in order to prolong lifetime of the teeth.

Connective tissue graft: this method is performed to reconstruct the lost gingival in cases of gingival recession.

Flap surgery and bone graft: graft can be used to gain the bone tissue again in cases of bone loss after the inflammatory tissues beneath the gum and around the bone are debrided.

Gingivectomy/Gingivoplasty: gingivectomy / gingivoplasty is performed to create symmetric and aesthetic looking gums in people who request gummy smile or have irregular gums.