Treatment Methods for Periodontal (Gum) Disease

Kuljeet Mehta's practice provides a variety of non-surgical and surgical periodontal services. We pride ourselves on the fact that we are very conservative in our treatment recommendations and limit surgery to the areas where it is absolutely necessary.

Many times, the early stages of periodontal disease are best treated with non-surgical periodontal therapy. Even in severe cases, non-surgical periodontal therapy often precedes surgical therapy. This is done to improve the overall tissue quality prior to surgery and also to help limit the areas requiring surgery.

                                             How is periodontal disease treated?

Periodontal therapy is best carried out in systematic treatment phases: The Hygienic Phase of Therapy: The initial Hygienic phase of therapy is aimed at arresting disease, resolving inflammation and reducing number and depths of pockets. This meticulous deep cleaning of the gums will be carried under local anaesthetic on sections of the mouth at a time by Kuljeet Mehta.

For many patients deep cleaning in conjunction with the appropriate maintenance care will be sufficient to control the disease. However, in advanced cases of periodontal disease with a large number of deep pockets, the improvement after deep cleaning alone may not be enough. A second phase of therapy may include minor surgery to gain access to deep areas for cleaning and reshaping.

The Corrective Phase of Therapy: This phase of therapy aims at treating teeth with residual deep pockets following the Hygienic phase. This aim at restoring your function and aesthetics.

The decision regarding what type of further periodontal therapy may be needed, and on how many sites, should be made after the effect of the initial phase of therapy has been evaluated. The time lapse between finishing the initial phase of therapy and this evaluation may vary from 2-6 months. Periodontal surgery is aimed at reducing the pockets further and achieving a situation which allows you to clean between the teeth more easily.

After completion of periodontal therapy, Kuljeet Mehta carry out any final cosmetic improvements or replacement of missing teeth by dental implants. Ideally, removable dentures should be avoided since they lead to further plaque retention and an increased risk of recurrence of gum disease.

Combination Procedures: A combination of periodontal procedures can result in a beautiful new smile and improved periodontal health - your keys to smiling, eating and speaking with comfort and confidence. 

Periodontal Surgery

Periodontal Surgery: If you're diagnosed with periodontal disease, your periodontist, Kuljeet Mehta may recommend periodontal surgery. Periodontal surgery is necessary when your periodontist determines that the tissue around your teeth is unhealthy and cannot be repaired with non-surgical treatment.

 WHY PERIODONTAL SURGERY?

To clean and reduce periodontal pockets: You cannot keep deep pockets clean and free of plaque just by brushing and flossing alone. The pockets also may be too deep even for your dentist or hygienist to clean. Your periodontist will reduce the pockets and position the gums to minimize areas where disease causing bacteria can hide.

To reshape damaged bone: If bone loss has occurred, Kuljeet Mehta might perform osseous (bone) surgery. This is done to smooth the uneven or irregular surface of the damaged bone and promote healing of the periodontal pocket.

Guided Tissue Regeneration: (growing bone around teeth) is a surgical procedure that “regenerates” previously lost gum and bone tissue around the teeth.

If the disease goes untreated, damage to gum and bone attachment to the teeth will continue. These techniques restore and strengthen the support of the teeth so they can function longer. In fact, there are many new technologies available to enhance bone regeneration. You may want to talk with your periodontist, Kuljeet Mehta about these.

To expose more of the tooth to make dental repair possible: When a tooth is decayed or broken below the gumline, periodontal surgery might be needed to adjust the gum and bone level to expose more of the tooth so it can be repaired.

To improve appearance: In certain instances, appearance can be improved with aesthetic periodontal surgery. For example, a “toothy” smile caused by gum recession or shrinkage often can be corrected by aesthetic soft tissue grafting techniques. Soft tissue grafting also helps prevent further gum recession. Likewise, teeth can be made to look longer for a patient with a gummy smile. These are just two examples of how periodontal surgery can improve your appearance.

A cosmetic form of periodontal treatment: Gum contouring/reshaping can actually change the shape of your gum-line to enhance the look of your smile.

Periodontal Regenerative Therapy

Your bone and gum tissue should fit snugly around your teeth like a turtleneck around your neck. When you have periodontal disease, this supporting tissue and bone is destroyed and pockets develop. Eventually, if too much bone is lost, the teeth will need to be extracted.

Kuljeet Mehta may recommend a regenerative procedure when the bone supporting your teeth has been destroyed. These procedures can reverse some of the damage by regenerating lost bone and tissue.

During this procedure, Kuljeet Mehta folds back the gum tissue and remove the disease causing bacteria. Membranes, bone grafts or tissue-stimulating proteins can be used to encourage your body's natural ability to regenerate bone and tissue.

There are many options to enhance support for your teeth and to restore your bone to a healthy level. Kuljeet Mehta will discuss your best options with you.

What are the benefits of this Therapy?

Benefits of Periodontal Regenerative Therapy: Guided tissue and bone regeneration reconstructs the previously lost gum and bone tissue. Eliminating existing bacteria and regenerating bone and tissue helps to reduce pocket depth and repair damage caused by the progression of periodontal disease. With a combination of daily oral hygiene and professional maintenance care, you'll increase the chances of keeping your natural teeth and decrease the chances of serious health problems associated with periodontal disease.  

Periodontal Plastic Surgery

Do you think you have a "gummy smiles" or feel that your teeth too much on one side but not another? If so, Kuljeet Mehta now can actually change the shape of your gum-line to enhance the look of your smile.

Cosmetic tooth or gum contouring/reshaping is a simple way to reshape uneven teeth edges or gum tissue. Gum reshaping can correct misaligned teeth, uneven lengths, ridges or grooves. Gum contouring on the other hand can fix your smile-line, the relationship of your teeth with your gum tissue and facial features.

If your teeth are too long, different lengths, slightly misshapen, gum reshaping is a conservative approach to correct them. Gummy smiles can make your teeth appear too small or disproportional causing your smile to be less attractive. An uneven gum line or smile can be unsightly and can lower self-esteem, especially in the workplace.

By having your teeth or gums contoured, your smile will be even and healthy, allowing you to present an air of beauty and professionalism to those around you.

Gingival overgrowth is a condition in which the gums become swollen and “grow over” the teeth. Certain medications may cause gingival overgrowth. Overgrown gums make it easier for bacteria to accumulate and attack supporting structures of the teeth, which can lead to severe periodontal infection tooth decay, and oral infections.

Patients who are experiencing drug-associated gingival enlargement are treated according to the extent of the overgrowth of tissue. 

Case Study for Plastic Periodontal Surgery

Crown Lengthening for Aesthetics

You have probably seen people with what you would consider short teeth, or a “gummy” smile. While it may appear that their teeth are shorter than normal, it's often just a case of teeth being hidden behind the gums. By repositioning the gum line, you can improve your smile and the contours of your face.

One of the major advantages of crown lengthening is that it can often be completed in one visit with a simple anesthetic. Essentially, the excessive gum tissue that is hiding your teeth is removed to expose the normal length of the tooth.

With crown lengthening, you'll benefit from:

• enhanced teeth that no longer look short or like “baby teeth”
• a much more attractive smile
• an improved self-image and more self-confidence
• a relatively quick healing period with little pain
• visible results in as little as one week from surgery

Click here for Crown Lengthening-Photo Gallery

Periodontal Maintenance Therapy

After Kuljeet Mehta has completed the active phase of periodontal treatment, your periodontal disease will be under control. He will provide you with a personalized maintenance program of care to keep your gums healthy.

Maintenance therapy is an ongoing program designed to prevent disease in the gum tissues and bone supporting your teeth. Adherence to a program of conscientious home oral care and regularly scheduled maintenance therapy visits with your dentist and Kuljeet Mehta  will give you an excellent chance of keeping your teeth for your lifetime.

Why is Periodontal Maintenance important?

As you have learned, you are susceptible to gum disease. And, you have probably learned, too, that the main cause of gum disease is bacterial plaque, a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. The bacteria in this plaque produce toxins, or poisons, which constantly attack your gums and teeth. Unless plaque is removed, it hardens into a rough, porous deposit called calculus, or tartar. Daily brushing and flossing will help to minimize the formation of calculus, but it won't completely prevent it. No matter how careful you are in cleaning your teeth and gums, bacterial plaque can cause a recurrence of gum disease from two to four months after your last professional cleaning. Therefore, a dental professional must check for hidden problems and remove the hardened plaque at time intervals appropriate for you so that your teeth and gums stay healthy.

Who should perform Periodontal Maintenance?

The answer depends on you and the severity of your gum disease before treatment. Generally, the more severe your periodontal disease is initially, the more often Kuljeet Mehta needs to oversee your care. Together, you, your general dentist and Kuljeet Mehta will work out the most effective schedule for your supportive periodontal care.