About Other Periodontal Treatments
Periodontal disease is extremely common in the US today, with most US adults suffering from at least mild periodontal deterioration or gumline recession. Serious gum disease is especially a problem among the elderly, those with certain chronic diseases like diabetes, smokers, and anyone with consistently poor oral hygiene.
Normally, root scaling and planing is used to scrape tooth surfaces clean below the gum line (including on roots exposed due to gum recession). This is regarded as a non-surgical procedure that will help slow the progress of periodontal disease.
Gum flap or gum graft surgery, along with a deep cleaning of infected periodontal pockets, is used in more severe cases. In conventional gum surgery the gum tissue is pulled away from the teeth and underlying bone, the area is treated with instruments and the gum is replaced and sutured or stitched together. This procedure is accomplished after carefully numbing the gums with a local anesthetic. It involves,cutting, and sewing.
Finally, gum recession can also be corrected by the pinhole surgical graft technique, which accesses below the gums via a tiny “pinhole incision” in order to move them back into their original position without cutting or sewing.
About Laser Periodontal Treatment
Laser periodontal surgery is used to eliminate bacterial infection and badly damaged periodontal tissue. It will not always correct gum line recession, but it can be done in conjunction with surgeries that will. Lasers are not used to clean tooth roots of plaque, but convert sticky plaque to a brittle form that can be removed more completely with other instruments that will be used for that purpose during the laser assisted surgery.
Laser tools are used because they can remove deep pockets by disinfecting or killing selectively the harmful bacteria reducing inflammation allowing for natural healing of infected periodontal tissue. They do this with minimal amounts of pain, in relatively little time, with maximal effectiveness, and with minimal loss of healthy gum tissue during the removal of the diseased gum tissue. Plus, contact with the laser also stimulates the gums to regenerate themselves and gums feel minimal pain, if any, after the surgery and heal rapidly. In fact, there is little to no bleeding involved in laser periodontal treatment, very little swelling, and no need for a general anesthetic because it is so painless. The best laser at this time for periodontal treatment is the MVP-7 by Millennium. This is the only laser that has been approved by the FDA to result in some new growth of cementum and bone. The treatment protocol does not require extensive cutting or sewing. This laser has had the most rigorous testing and dedicated protocol and is the choice of Dr Kenzik.
Post-Treatment Dental Care
Good oral care in general is important after any dental surgery. You always want to be gentle when brushing your gum line, but especially right after the surgery. Use an antiseptic mouth wash and return to normal brushing with a soft-bristled brush as soon as possible.
Be aware that smoking, eating lots of high-sugar foods, and build-up of of plaque between teeth and at the gum line can hurt your gum health and reverse the effects of the treatment.
Can I Afford Laser Periodontal Treatment?
The extent of the periodontal damage will be directly related to the cost of any form of treatment, including laser treatment. You would have to have your mouth examined by a periodontist before an exact price could be determined.
However, laser treatment often costs no more, or even less, than other types of treatment (even if more upfront) because it generally requires fewer dental treatment visits. Also, most dental insurance will cover any type of periodontal treatment and does not limit the instruments.that are used for you.
To learn more about laser periodontal treatment and your other gum disease treatment options, contact Dr. Kenzik in Ormond Beach, FL, today.