Periodontal Therapy

The dentists at Waverley Dental Centre in Winnipeg can diagnose and treat periodontal (gum) disease at various stages.

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What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection of the structures that support the teeth, including the gums, the periodontal ligaments, and the alveolar bone.

In the early stages, periodontal disease symptoms are mild; indeed, some patients don't experience any symptoms at all in the beginning. This is why regular dental examinations are so important; your dentist may well be able to spot the first signs of early periodontal disease (gingivitis) before you notice any problems.

Stages of Periodontal Disease

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease, and presents either no symptoms, or mild symptoms, including swollen gums that bleed easily during brushing and flossing. Gingivitis is essentially an inflammation of the gums, which is caused by a buildup of plaque at the gumline. In this stage, the gum disease can still be reversed because the bone and connective tissues have not yet been affected.

Periodontitis

If gum disease progresses to this stage, the bone and fibres that support the teeth become damaged. The gums may begin to form pockets under the gumline, in which food particles and plaque are trapped.

Advanced Periodontitis

In the final stage of gum disease, the fibres and bone that support the teeth are destroyed, causing the teeth to shift and loosen. In some extreme cases, the teeth may have to be removed.

Treatment Options

In the early stages, gum disease can often be reversed with better brushing and flossing. Your dentist can advise you on improving your brushing and flossing techniques to better prevent plaque buildup.

A professional cleaning by a dentist or hygienist is the only way to remove plaque that has already formed and hardened into tartar. Your dentist or hygienist with clean away the plaque and tartar that has developed on or below the gumline with a process called scaling.

For more severe gum disease, a root planing procedure may be performed. Root planing smooths irregularities on the tooth roots, making it harder to plaque to build up there.

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