If you have gingivitis, regular professional cleans by your dentist will remove the build up of plaque around and under the gums and allow the gum inflammation to subside. Maintaining good oral hygiene between dental visits will help control the recurrence of plaque build up and help keep the gums healthy.
Patients who show signs of periodontitis usually need a closer inspection of their gums.
At the Melbourne Smile Clinic in Northcote, our dentist will take time to measure the depths of the pockets between the teeth and gums. This is called a periodontal analysis and is essential to determine the severity of the gum disease and hence the treatment required.
Treatment of periodontitis involves a process called periodontal debridement. The dentist will have to clean quite deeply under the gums at the affected sites with special instruments. Usually local anaesthetic is given and the treatment might be carried out over a few visits.
After the initial round of periodontal debridement, our dentist will need to review the patient after 3, 4 or 6 months depending on the severity of the disease. At each review, a new periodontal analysis is carried out to check if there has been improvement. Areas that have not improved sufficiently will require another round of debridement. In between visits, the patient would have been instructed as to the best way to implement home hygiene.
Usually, more than 1 round of periodontal debridement is necessary to return the gums to health.
Smokers and uncontrolled diabetics have a poorer response to treatment.
At the Melbourne Smile Clinic in Northcote, we ensure all patients are assessed for gum disease and receive the appropriate advice and treatment.