Serving patients of Erwin, Jonesborough, and Greeneville TN
Do you have gum disease, and are considering your treatment options? Consider non-surgical periodontal therapy, as administered by an experienced dentist or periodontist in Greeneville like the ones on staff at Tusculum Dental Care.
First, you may be wondering if you have gum disease. The best way to determine this is to receive an evaluation by a dentist. However, symptoms of gum disease often referred to as periodontal disease results in red, inflamed, bleeding gums, loose teeth, bad breath, and gum recession. Gum disease has to be treated in order for it to stop. Ignoring the problem only makes matters worse, and eventually, you could end up losing your teeth. While traditional surgical methods are effective at removing diseased tissue so that the gums can heal, it involves using a scalpel to cut the tissue, and then sutures are used to sew up the incisions. This process can be quite painful and comes with an extensive recovery. Because of the invasiveness of the procedure, it could take months to treat the entire mouth.
Now, Greeneville dentists at Tusculum Dental Care can treat periodontal disease by using non-surgical periodontal therapy. Here’s how that process works.
What is non-surgical periodontal therapy?
We begin treatment by removing the plaque and calculus buildup from above and below the gum line.
There are multiple techniques your dentist can use to treat gum disease in Greeneville including:
- Laser therapy
- Repetitive therapy
- Arestin
Learn the tools and techniques of non-surgical gum disease treatment
Laser dentistry entails vaporizing infected gum tissue around the teeth and gums, or in the pockets that form during periodontitis, the advanced stage of gum disease. This is completed using our precise dental laser, and without the pain, discomfort, and bleeding that occurs with traditional gum surgery. The entire mouth can be treated in one or two visits, unlike with traditional surgery that may take months or longer to achieve results.
Repetitive therapy involves using special dental tools to clean the teeth. Local anesthetics are given to numb the treatment area and control sensitivity so you remain comfortable during the procedure. Repetitive therapy also is split over two appointments, so your entire mouth isn’t numbed at once.
We also use an antibiotic called Arestin to treat cases of gum disease. Arestin is administered in a powder form and placed directly on gums. When used in combination with other treatments, Arestin helps speed up the healing process.
What are the advantages of non-surgical periodontal therapy?
Now, all of those tools and medications can seem overwhelming, but there are lots of benefits to non-surgical periodontal therapy. These benefits genuinely can be a positive change in your life. Most importantly, it can eliminate the infection causing your gum disease. Also, it can help prevent recurring infections, tooth loss, and jawbone loss. You can reduce bad breath and the occurrence of swollen and bleeding gums, if not eliminate it entirely. Most important, treating your periodontal disease also decreases the risk of associated ailments such as cardiovascular issues, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis. It also helps decrease the risk of delivering low preterm birth weight babies for pregnant women with gum disease. However, it is essential that you maintain a good at-home regimen of oral hygiene. No amount of professional dental treatments will work unless you do your part at home and take care of your teeth and gums as recommended by your dentist.
What are the risks associated with this therapy?
The risks and side effects can include tenderness in the gums, and gaps developing between the teeth and the gum line due to shrinkage of the previously swollen gums. These gaps may trap food or increase the sensitivity of your teeth to temperature changes. These are all entirely temporary side effects after a procedure that can be of great benefit to you.
Make an appointment to treat your gum disease in Greeneville
Weighing the positives and negatives are important, but realistically, if you have gum disease, you must receive treatment, and the sooner, the better. Periodontal disease is not curable, but it is manageable with treatment. Professional treatment is crucial, before gum disease does permanent damage to your oral health. To put an end to your gum disease or to learn more about our treatments, please contact Tusculum Dental Care by calling (423) 639-7575.
Tusculum Dental Care provides services for the Greeneville, Jonesborough, and Erwin areas of Tennessee.