Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment

  There is now an alternative to surgical periodontal treatment.  In many cases, soft tissue management can be combined with some medicine placed below the gum line to kill the bacteria that cause periodontal disease and soft tissue pocketing. This medicine is supplied in the form of a medicament embedded in a small chip that is inserted under the gum line.  It is called Perio Chip (Chlorhexidine Gluconate).  Gum disease has several causes. While daily oral hygiene routines, including brushing, flossing, and rinsing, are critical elements in preventing or controlling gum disease, genetic disposition also plays an important role.

Some reasons for gum disease are:

• Lack of adequate oral hygiene, resulting in local bacterial infection.
• Deficient crowns/fillings.
• Poor nutrition/diet.
• Smoking.
• Extreme tension/stress.
• Genetic disposition.
• Uncontrollable, systemic diseases (cancer, osteoporosis, autoimmune diseases, etc.)
• Drugs influencing the health of the gums (medicine for hypertension, epilepsy, etc.)

The primary cause of gum disease is an adhesive, colorless layer, called plaque, which accumulates on the surface of the teeth. If plaque is not removed, it hardens and turns into tartar (calculus). Bacteria in the plaque cause infection and destruction of the gum tissues supporting the teeth. When this occurs, the gum separates from the teeth, creating a pocket.

There are various types, or classes, of gum disease. Chronic gum disease is the most common class, affecting mostly adults. You can and should check yourself for the warning signs of gum disease. You may, however, have gum disease that has spread to the bone without any symptoms whatsoever. Most people do not experience any pain as a result of gum disease and, as a result, it often goes undetected. It is important to have regular dental checkups, including a periodontal examination.

The warning signs of Periodontal disease are:

• Swollen gums.
• Bright red or purplish gums.
• Gums that feel tender when touched.
• Gums that recede from your teeth, making your teeth appear longer.
• New spaces between your teeth.
• Pus between your teeth and gums.
• Bad breath.
• Bad taste in your mouth.
• Loose teeth.
• A change in the way that your teeth fit together when you bite.

Although there are surgical treatments for gum disease, there are also non-surgical therapies, such as scaling and root planning,   also called soft tissue management. . This usually involves anesthetizing the gum tissues with an anesthetic. The dentist or hygienist then scrapes the diseased tooth root until it is clean and no longer contains bacterial waste and smooths the root surface.

Scaling and root planning combined with the use of an antiseptic such as Perio Chip, has proven to be an effective treatment for reducing pocket depth.  Once gum disease has been diagnosed, immediate action is required in order to avoid its progression. If left untreated, the gum may deteriorate.

A growing number of dentists and hygienists have discovered that they can be more effective in treating and removing one of the underlying causes of gum disease (i.e., bacteria in the pocket) by adding a locally applied antiseptic substance, such as PerioChip® (Chlorhexidine Gluconate) following soft tissue management. Studies have shown that patients who received PerioChip® after scaling and root planning experienced a statistically significant reduction in the depth of their periodontal pockets versus patients who were treated with scaling and root planning alone when measured at nine months after initial treatment with PerioChip.  PerioChip remains in place for about 10 days and there is no need to remove it since it is biodegradable and dissolves by itself. There is a follow up visit to see the results and determine if any additional treatment is necessary.

We recommend Perio Chip as part of a periodontal maintenance program as a proactive way to treatment pockets with scaling and root planning. Call Dr. Chanin at Diamond Dental Associates,  908-838-0004, for further information about PerioChip and to determine if you are a candidate to treat your particular condition with this non-surgical technique.

908-838-0004 | Diamonddentalassociates.com