Periodontitis, as it is popularly called, is considered one of the most serious diseases of the teeth. The condition is caused by an infection that affects the gum and jawbone, those elements that support the tooth. Left untreated, periodontal disease leads to tooth loss. You must be wondering how this disease occurs that affects more and more people in recent years. Statistically, 20% of the world’s adult population suffers from an aggressive form of periodontitis.
How does periodontal disease occur?
There are several factors that favor the appearance of the disease, but only one remains at the top: the bacterial plaque. For this reason, daily brushing is necessary. Bacterial plaque is deposited on the tooth. If oral hygiene is poor, it turns into tartar, and it can no longer be removed with a simple brushing. Also, if tartar is not removed by the dentist, it affects the jaw bone. It rec edes and with it recedes the gum. The tooth loses its support and falls out. Like any condition, periodontal disease has several stages of evolution: gingivitis, superficial periodontitis and deep periodontitis. Gingivitis is a reversible condition, but the last 2 stages of the disease are irreversible. If in the case of gingivitis the treatment is much simpler and generally requires the elimination of the factors responsible for the appearance of the disease, namely bacterial plaque and tartar, in the case of periodontitis the treatment is complex. For this reason, patients should come to the dentist at the first signs of discomfort, because early treatment is very important in managing the condition.
Stages of treatment in the case of periodontitis
The earlier the disease is diagnosed, the less complex the treatment. In the first phase, the bacterial plaque will be removed from the teeth and their roots. Non-surgical treatment consists of scaling and removal of gum pockets under local anesthesia. Depending on the stage of the disease, the procedure can be combined with antibiotic treatment or local antiseptic applications and with laser treatments. In the advanced stages of the disease, the dentist may propose complex surgical interventions. It must clean, under local anesthesia, of tartar and infected tissue in areas that cannot be reached by non-surgical treatments. Then he applies procedures such as: subgingival curettage, gingivectomies, flap operations, bone additions, application of substances for tissue regeneration.
