What is going on under the gumline?

Periodontal disease, or gum disease, may begin with mild gum inflammation, or gingivitis, which may appear as slightly red, or swollen gums, that or bleeding gums, that are sometimes noticed during brushing or flossing. These bleeding or inflamed gums are often caused by the accumulation of disease-causing bacteria that live in the otherwise normal bacterial plaque that accumulates each day and night in our mouths and covers our teeth.

Bacteria, if not completely removed by perfect brushing and flossing, tends to solidify and create hardened tartar, also known as calculus which tends to form both above and below the gumline, forming periodontal pockets. This, in turn, may lead to breakdown of the collagen in the gum tissue itself, and the destruction of bone that support the teeth.

Loss of bone and gum tissue continues, often completely unnoticed by the patient, until loose teeth or gum abscess indicate that gum disease has progressed to the point of tooth loss, along with possible systemic medical harms that accompany the chronic inflammation aspect of untreated gum disease. Periodontal disease is often silent, and most patients are not aware that they are losing bone and teeth until an observant dentist performs a complete periodontal examination in which periodontal pockets are carefully measured and dental x-rays can be evaluated.

What happens without treatment?

In short, teeth get loose and fall out. Gingivitis (bleeding and inflammation in the gums) quietly progresses to periodontitis (the loss of bone around teeth). Calculus (tartar), a collection of hardened bacteria that sticks to the roots of teeth like barnacles on the side of a boat, continues to accumulate. Bacteria (and your body’s response to the bacterial toxins in your gums) causes the loss of bone around teeth.

Without treatment, dental bone loss and the break-down of infected gum tissue progresses until the teeth themselves become loose and infected, and either fall out or need to be removed by a dentist.

Laser gum treatment procedure to help save teeth

Steps to remove tartar and calculus from under the gumline and disinfect gum pockets:

•  clean out gum pockets
•  remove tartar (calculus) from under the gumline
•  disinfect and kill disease-causing bacteria

Gum disease and risks to your health.

Medical studies have linked untreated gum disease with increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease, likely caused by inflammation and its associated products circulating through the blood stream and in the lining of blood vessels, along with other serious health risks.

Pancreatic cancer may also be associated with gum disease (periodontitis). One study determined that certain types of bacterium connected to gum disease are linked to a 200% higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Another study by the same authors found a heightened risk of pancreatic cancer (sixty-four percent higher) in men with a history of periodontal disease than men with no such history.

Diabetes and gum disease are strongly associated, with diabetics at a very high risk for developing periodontitis. Studies have also suggested that diabetics who appropriately treat their gum disease experience better glycemic control following periodontal treatment.

Laser gum treatment: the details.

Treatments for gum disease are aimed at removing calculus (tartar) and accumulations of bacteria from under the gum line. Early gum disease can often be treated with scaling and root planing which is deep cleaning under the gum line after using local anesthetic to numb the area. For patients with more moderate or advanced gum disease and bone loss, more advanced surgical treatments are often needed (in addition to scaling and root planing) to gain access to clean out deeper deposits of disease-causing calculus (tartar) and to make repairs to regenerate lost bone around the teeth. Recent advances in laser technology and laser gum surgery now permit the treatment of gum disease without cutting or stitching and with minimal discomfort following the procedure. Not all procedures are appropriate for all patients. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Ressler, laser periodontist, to determine what type of gum treatment is best for you.

More comfortable - no cutting, no stitching - fast recovery.

Laser periodontal treatment is a minimally-invasive alternative to traditional periodontal surgery for the treatment of gum disease and bleeding gums without the need for cutting or stitching or the pain and discomfort associated with the older methods. After local anesthesia has been administered, the laser probe is inserted into the space between the teeth and gums, cleansing the periodontal pocket, killing disease-causing bacteria, and removing diseased tissue.

Another pass with a second type of laser with a higher wavelength breaks up calculus (tartar) adhering to the roots of the teeth and flushing out and irrigating the pockets with normal water. The roots are then further cleaned with a high frequency piezo-scaler, the latest technology in tooth cleaning instruments. Finally, one last pass of the laser is made to stabilize the clot to prevent bleeding, eliminate the need for sutures, and to facilitate healing, reattachment of gum tissue, and possible regeneration.

A new technique, TwinLight™ evolved from earlier methods of laser gum treatment. TwinLight™ utilizes the same laser type as other gum treatment protocols, but adds the use of a second type of laser (the Erbium Er:Yag) for a next-generation dual-wavelength laser therapy to treat periodontal disease. TwinLight™ incorporates some of the strengths of older laser gum treatment techniques, and improves on these methods through the use of a higher wavelength laser to remove harmful disease-causing tartar and calculus from the roots of teeth.

The aim of these gum treatments is simply to remove bacterial deposits from the roots of teeth, reduce bleeding gums, and stop the loss of supporting bone around your teeth.