Chicago Periodontist Breaks Down Treatment for Periodontitis
Gum disease is one of the most common dental issues that patients experience, despite it being one of the easiest to prevent. The reasoning is that the problems won’t be that noticeable to you until it’s too late. Therefore, it’s important to maintain routine dental visits for cleanings twice a year. Below, our Chicago periodontist breaks down periodontal procedures and how they work to protect your smile.
Exams, X-Rays, and Cleanings
For our team to assess the current health of your teeth and gums, we’ll complete a periodontal screening, which includes x-rays and thorough periodontal probing. We view and measure the spaces between your teeth and gums which are called pockets. With these measurements, we’ll evaluate the progression of the two potential levels of gum disease – gingivitis and periodontal disease. If the measurements range between 1-3mm, your gums are typically healthy or can be saved with proper cleanings and treatments. If the measurements are 4mm and higher, that is an indication of gum disease.
There are different types of x-rays taken since they have their individual, specific purpose. With these x-rays, our periodontist will confirm the types of cavities and periodontal disease while showing you the severity and how we’ll work to treat it.
The type of cleaning you’ll receive depends on the severity of gum disease, whether it’s mild, moderate, or severe. Both soft and hard deposit will be cleaned and removed from your teeth, while allows your gums a chance to heal. We’ll also review the type of care you should do at home, as well as recommend any helpful tools you may want to utilize.
Root Planing and Scaling Therapy
Periodontal disease damages the pockets surrounding your teeth, where the bacteria reside if not properly cared for. Once the pockets measure to a certain depth, it’s difficult to reverse the damage that’s done, and the disease will progress without proper treatment. To stop the progression, our Chicago periodontist must mechanically remove the tartar from the roots of your teeth, which is called planing and scaling.
After this is complete, around four to six weeks post-treatment, we’ll complete another screening to check the depths of these pockets around your teeth once more. If the treatment was successful, the pockets will have decreased in depth and the gum tissue will appear healthier. If it was unsuccessful, we will begin discussing a new approach for treatment to save your smile.
Your smile deserves the best treatment possible during any stage of life, which is what our Chicago periodontist and dentist are here for. No matter your age or the severity of your teeth and gums, our goal is to improve your oral and dental health to share your smile comfortably and happily with friends, family, and even strangers. We understand the worries and anxieties that come along with severe dental issues, which is why we highly encourage patients to ask any questions or concerns they have when it comes to their treatment and our team will happily assist you.
To schedule an appointment at Bright Dental of Logan Square, call our office today at (773) 276-9280. Your smile deserves to shine!