Periodontal treatment in Palma de Mallorca
Gums are fundamental to maintaining the integrity of teeth. They are your foundation, your support and if they are not healthy, not only do infection problems start to appear affecting the periodontal tissue, but the jaw bones can also be affected. Gum disease begins with symptoms such as bleeding,
redness or inflammation, but in some cases it is painless and therefore difficult to detect. Therefore, to keep gums in good condition, it is essential to go for check-ups and detect the appearance of pathologies such as periodontitis as early as possible.
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What is periodontitis?
Periodontitis, also known as pyorrhoea, is a painless gum disease that can cause bone destruction, leading first to tooth mobility and then to tooth loss. In fact, along with caries, periodontitis is one of the leading causes of tooth loss.
The main cause of periodontitis is the accumulation of tartar on the teeth and gums. This tartar is made up of bacteria that feed on the sugars left over from food and drink, generating an acid that wears away and causes infection. Hence the importance of treating this disease.
Phases of periodontal treatment
If periodontal disease is not treated at an early stage, when we talk about gingivitis and only prophylaxis or professional cleaning is necessary, it is possible that bacteria have caused what we know as periodontal pockets leading to a major and serious infection below the gums. An examination with 3D X-rays and probing tests can determine the extent of the infection and even whether the jawbone has already started to wear away. Depending on the condition of the gums, the periodontist will prescribe:
In cases where the bacterial infection has progressed, professional tooth cleaning is not enough and curettage must be performed. Dental curettage is another type of professional hygiene, also known as scaling and root planing, which involves cleaning below the gum line, up to about 3mm from the root of the tooth, using an instrument called a curette.
This curette is used to scrape the root of each of the teeth, removing the tartar deposited on each of the teeth until it reaches the so-called periodontal pocket. The aim is to free this area of bacteria that have accumulated and are causing the infection. On some occasions it is possible that the procedure may cause minor bleeding, but there is no reason to worry in the hands of a professional.
In most cases, this scaling and root planing is sufficient to proceed to a maintenance phase of periodontal treatment. However, there are times when the infection is so advanced that it has reached the periodontal pockets and must be treated with a minimally invasive surgical technique.
Periodontal microsurgery is a simple treatment with no major complications. It is a useful technique for cleaning contaminated structures, removing pockets of infection and rebuilding damaged periodontal tissue. After surgery, there may be a slight increase in tooth sensitivity, which disappears after a few weeks.
After a month or a month and a half it is advisable to carry out a re-evaluation of the state of the gums. The specialist will have prescribed a rigorous oral cleaning at home, as well as possible medication, and it should be checked that the state of the gums is adequate once the periodontal treatment has been carried out. In this way it is possible to finish the treatment and proceed to maintenance.
Maintenance of periodontal treatment
Maintenance is essential to maintain the health of gums and teeth and really consists of regular visits to the dentist. Depending on other variables , the specialist may recommend check-ups and cleanings every 6 months or every year. Everything will depend on the case and the hygiene habits at home. In any case, diet and the elimination or reduction of harmful habits such as smoking can help to better preserve teeth and gums. But always, prevention is the best treatment.
