Periodontitis is when the bone and gum tissues around the teeth get swollen and inflamed. There is usually damage to the underlying bone if a dental patient has periodontitis.

          Periodontitis is different from gingivitis. With gingivitis the gums are swollen, but there is no damage to the bone under the gums so periodontitis is much more serious than gingivitis.

          The first step in treating periodontitis is to remove all the hardened food on the roots of the teeth by scaling and root planing and letting the gum tissues shrink and heal. The next step is to evaluate the patient's situation again to determine if any teeth are loose, if there is any bleeding, and if there are any unnatural food traps.

         The treatment for periodontitis at this point greatly differs depending on the patient's situation. With some patients the dentist and patient will choose to clean the teeth every three or four months and scale and root plane every two to three years. With other patients periodontal surgery is indicated.

          Modern periodontal procedures sometimes allow the dentist to replace missing bone and this is the procedure of choice in most cases. Some patients need gum tissue recontouring in order to make it easier for the patient to clean their teeth and keep them free of infection.

          Call the Atlanta Dental Group PC now and take the first step in treating your periodontitis by making a Diagnostic Workup appointment, 404-874-7428.