The term “periodontics” refers to the dental specialty that pertains to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease that affects the gums and jawbone.  The gum tissues serve to surround and support the teeth and the underlying jawbone anchors teeth firmly in place.  Periodontists have completed several years of extra dental training and are concerned with maintaining the function, health and aesthetics of the jawbone and tissues.

Reasons for periodontal treatment

Periodontal disease is a progressive condition which begins with mild gum inflammation called gingivitis.  It is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults living in the developed world, and should be taken very seriously.  Periodontal disease (often called gum disease) is typically signified by red, swollen, painful, or bleeding gums, but in some cases has no noticeable symptoms.

Periodontal disease generally begins when the bacteria living in plaque cause an infection in the surrounding tissues of the teeth, causing them to become irritated and painful.  Eventually, this infection will cause the jawbone to recede and the tooth to become loose.

• Moderate/advanced gum disease – This occurs when the gums are bleeding, swollen or red around most teeth and the jawbone has begun to recede.
• Localized gum recession – The infection which propagates moderate or advanced gum disease often begins in one area.  Gum recession may also be caused due to over brushing with a hard bristle brush, or due to a tooth that is not positioned properly.  Immediate treatment is required to prevent further spreading.
• Before crown lengthening – The periodontist may lengthen the crown of the tooth by removing surrounding soft tissue to provide more tooth exposure.
• Ridge augmentation – This procedure, often called “recontouring” may be required to correct an uneven gum line.  Before embarking on treatment, a periodontist needs to treat any bacterial infections and periodontitis.

In the case of mild/moderate periodontal problems, the focus of the periodontist will be on curing the underlying bacterial infection and then providing advice on the most appropriate home cleaning methods.

Sometimes a deep scaling is needed to remove the bacterial plaque and calculus (tartar) from the teeth and tissues. Where periodontal disease is advanced and the jawbone has regressed significantly, more intensive cleaning may be recommended and loose teeth that cannot be saved will be removed.

The periodontist is trained in all aspects of dental implant procedures, which can restore functionality to the mouth when teeth have been affected by periodontitis.

Because periodontal disease is progressive, it is essential to remove the bacteria and calculus build up to halt the spread of the infection. Your dentist will be happy to advise you on effective cleaning methods and treatment options.

Arestin

Summerlin, Las Vegas, and Henderson Nevada

Gum disease can lead to significant oral health and health consequences if left untreated. In fact, it is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults, and can even increase one’s risk of cardiac disease, heart attack, stroke, and diabetes, among other serious health risks. Gum disease will not just go away, and it requires ongoing treatment to prevent the disease from progressing. Allow Las Vegas dentist Dr. Matthew Wilson the opportunity to treat your gum disease by applying Arestin, an antibiotic that kills the harmful bacteria causing your gum disease.

Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease, also referred to as gum disease, affects the gum tissue, teeth, and surrounding jawbone. It develops due to an accumulation of bacteria and plaque, usually due to poor oral hygiene and the lack of routine dental cleanings. Gum disease begins as gingivitis, which affects nearly 80% of adults in America, and quickly progresses into later stages of the disease if not treated properly.

In the advanced stages of gum disease, the harmful bacteria cause infection under the gums surrounding the roots of the teeth. These areas are referred to as periodontal pockets or perio pockets. Healthy oral hygiene efforts at home simply cannot clean these pockets well enough, which is why additional measures are to be taken to stop the spread of the disease. If ignored, the bacteria may enter the bloodstream, and begin to affect vital organs in the body.

Gum disease must be treated with a combination of good oral hygiene habits practiced at home, routine dental cleanings (usually repetitive scaling and root planing procedures), as well as administering Arestin, an antibiotic below the gum line.

One way to treat gum disease is by the application of Arestin. This oral antibiotic is applied directly to the gums, inside of the pockets. Arestin can be used as a standalone treatment for gum disease, but often is used in conjunction with other measures such as a dental deep cleaning (scaling and root planing), repetitive therapy, or laser gum therapy. The dentist will determine which course of action is best for your case of periodontal disease.

Arestin is also used as part of a maintenance program to help prevent the reoccurrence of gum disease.

Administered in a powder form, Arestin will stay in place and work to kill off bacteria for up to three weeks.

Proven Results

Arestin has been proven to be an effective method of treating gum disease. It even helps reduce the size of the perio pockets. Since Arestin can kill the harmful gum disease-causing bacteria, results are more effective when paired with a dental deep cleaning, studies show. Also, clinical studies have shown that Arestin helps reduce bleeding that occurs in infected gums.

At Inspire Dental of Summerlin, we are experienced in treating gum disease with the oral application of Arestin, which is only one of the tools available for treatment. To protect your oral health, as well as your overall health, gum disease must be stopped to prevent it from reoccurring.

Gum Disease Treatment in Summerlin

To learn more about ways to prevent or treat gum disease or if you or a member of your family has been diagnosed with gum disease, call our office at (702) 331-4700 to schedule a consultation.

Inspire Dental of Summerlin welcomes patients of Henderson, Las Vegas, and Summerlin, Nevada.

Summerlin, Las Vegas, and Henderson Nevada

Perio Protect is a comprehensive approach to gum disease treatment. The approach combines dental cleanings with the comfortable Perio Tray®delivery of medication that patients use at home between office visits. The Perio Tray is similar to a mouth-guard, but it has a special sealing system to deliver medication below the gums. You put medication in the tray and wear it for a few minutes a day. The medication fights the infections. It’s that easy.

The Perio Protect treatment approach uniquely adds more effective home-care to a treatment plan. Bacteria that cause inflammation and disease are hidden deep below the gums and are extremely difficult to manage at home with toothbrushes, rinses and floss. The Perio Tray is able to reach deep into the pockets between the teeth and gums, applying medication to infected gum tissue that cannot be reached using toothbrushes, dental floss, or mouthwashes. In fact, the Perio Protect Tray was created to help patients fight periodontal diseases in the most minimally invasive way possible; that’s where Dr. Duane C. Keller comes in.

As the founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Perio Protect, Dr. Keller has a personal history of battling periodontal disease, helping his mother find an alternative treatment option to invasive gum surgeries. When her first surgery left her with spaces between her teeth, tooth sensitivity and pain, Dr. Keller began searching for a way to avoid gum disease surgeries. He wanted to stop the progression of the disease before surgery was needed. After trying several methods of applying gum disease medication unsuccessfully using small brushes, dental floss soaked in medication, injections, and more, the Perio Tray was created – a device designed to deliver medicine directly beneath the gums.

The special internal seals in the Perio Tray make is possible to place medication directly into the pockets between teeth and gum tissue. Your dentist or hygienist will take measurement of your mouth and send them to the dental laboratory along with a mold of your mouth. The lab will use these measurements to customized an internal seal for each Perio Tray. When the tray is ready, patients put medication directly in the Tray and wear it for several minutes each day.

The Perio Tray works by sealing close to the gums to prevent medication from seeping into the mouth. The pressure created by the seal forces the medication into pockets under the gum line, reaching deeper than any other non-invasive gum disease treatment can. The daily application of medication fights the bacterial infections and keeps the disease-causing bacteria from recolonizing, which allows the gums to heal.

Each patient will use the Perio Tray differently based on their doctor’s recommendations. Most patients start with 2-3 Perio Tray applications per day, each 10-15 minutes, but the actual frequency and duration will be determined by the treating dentist based on individual patient needs. Once the infection is under control and the inflammation and bleeding decrease, Perio Tray usage generally drops to one time per day and continues to be used to manage periodontal disease, which is unfortunately never cured. The best part, in addition to better disease management, is that you will also have fresher breath and whiter teeth! Who doesn’t want that?

The Perio Tray has many advantages as a gum disease treatment device, but perhaps the most important benefits of the Perio Tray is that it is a more comfortable, more effective, and less invasive option to deliver medication deep below the gums. The tray may also help patients avoid the need for systemic antibiotics, which can be over-used. In addition, the Perio Tray is not technique sensitive. Unlike tooth brushing and flossing which requires patients to use specific techniques, with the Perio Tray, patients just add medication and pop it into their mouth. This use also allows for a more complete treatment of biofilms beneath the gums.

Perio Protect provides training for dental professionals who wish to incorporate the Perio Tray into their periodontal disease treatments. To see if Perio Protect is an option for you, contact your Las Vegas dentist today at (702) 331-4700 or Click Here to schedule an appointment.

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