Description
Periodontal disease can lead to tooth loss if left untreated, but there are modern solutions. Learn how laser therapy targets bacteria, promotes healing, and often avoids surgery. If you need advanced gum care, Central Texas Dental Care is here for you.
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Periodontal disease is the disease
of the gum tissue
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and bone supporting the teeth
holding the teeth in.
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What causes it
is a combination of bacteria,
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and that bacteria thrives on food
that's left in the mouth,
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that's not cleaned out,
that gets underneath the gums,
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hardens onto the teeth,
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and creates a living environment
for that bacteria to thrive.
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It makes the gums red, puffy.
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They'll bleed when you brush them
or touch them.
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When that gum tissue has been diseased
for a prolonged period of time,
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the bone that holds the tooth in
starts to go away,
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and food gets down deeper.
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It gets the deeper tissue infected,
and more bone goes away.
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Slowly, the bone goes all the way away,
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and the teeth become mobile
and can fall out,
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is the end result of periodontal disease.
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There's multiple types
of periodontal therapy.
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Depending on the severity
of the disease,
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the simple solution would be to clean
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the hardened food debris,
calculus, off the teeth
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and go through with the laser
to eliminate the bacteria
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that are causing the disease.
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The next step would be to do gum surgery
if the disease has progressed further.
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At our office,
we do a more modern technique
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with a laser that's less invasive,
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and we just selectively remove
the tiniest layer of diseased tissue,
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and we stimulate new bone growth
and new tissue attachment with the laser.
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Most patients don't need surgery.
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The sooner you stop the disease,
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the less likely you are
that you'll need surgery.
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The recovery time
with the noninvasive laser gum surgery
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is very minimal.
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A week to two weeks.
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Most people feel
very little discomfort at all.
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The regeneration of bone tissue
and gum tissue does occur
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over the next year from the surgery,
so you'll get added health benefits
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throughout the next year
from the procedure.