Periodontology?

What is Periodontology?

Periodontology is an important branch of dentistry that focuses on the health of the gums and bone tissue around the teeth. Doctors who specialise in this field are called periodontists.

 

Periodontitis (periodontosis) is a disease that our society does not give much importance to, which progresses insidiously and causes serious problems in its advanced stages. If no precautions are taken, inflammation of the gums can occur, the periodontal apparatuses are endangered and even destroyed by this infection, further accumulation of bacteria occurs due to the formation of periodontal pockets and conditions are created in which they can multiply and lead to tooth loss.

 

Healthy gums are pink in colour, slightly rough like an orange peel and have smooth edges. Healthy gums do not bleed when you brush your teeth.

 

What are the symptoms of gum disease?

• Swelling and redness of the gums

• Bleeding gums

• Red gums

• Presence of pus and oral calculus (tartar)

• Bad odour and bleeding in the mouth

• Gum recession and sensitivity

• In advanced cases, loose teeth and tooth loss

 

Treatment of periodontal diseases

The treatment of periodontal disease is a separate specialty and branch of dentistry. To diagnose the disease, information from the patient, clinical examinations and X-rays are used to determine the extent of the disease. After the initial examination, the dentist can plan the necessary treatment to control the disease.

 

The patient is reminded about oral hygiene training, informed about the importance of the disease and told how, how long and how often the teeth should be brushed.

 

Tartar removal (scaling) involves cleaning the tartar around the teeth with ultrasound equipment or special tools. If necessary, local anaesthesia is used to remove deeper subgingival tartar and create a smooth tooth surface without adhesions, preventing bacteria from adhering.

 

If necessary, antibiotic treatment is prescribed for gum disease in the acute stage to help clean the tartar.

 

Surgical treatment is usually performed under local anaesthesia if the disease is already advanced. This involves removing inflammation and granulation tissue on the root surface to restore a healthy surface and, if necessary, bone powder is used for new bone formation.

 

As part of the complementary and supportive treatment, the patient is asked to attend periodic check-ups at intervals of 1, then 3 and 6 months after periodontal treatment.