PERIODONTAL TREATMENT

NON-SURGICAL PERIODONTAL TREATMENT

If you have periodontal disease, we may recommend a range of treatments. The most common treatment is called non-surgical treatment, which is also known as root debridement, or scaling and root planing. This involves thorough debridement (cleaning) of the tooth root surfaces to remove deposits of bacterial plaque and tartar. This treatment takes a number of appointments, working on a section of your mouth at each appointment. Local anaesthetic (numbing) is provided to ensure that the appointments are as comfortable as possible. Detailed instructions and training in home care and oral hygiene are also provided, as this is very important to ensure that you get the best possible treatment results! Following non-surgical treatment, review and ongoing maintenance is recommended to ensure that the periodontal disease does not recur.

We also identify medical and lifestyle factors (eg. smoking) that may be a risk factor for poor gum health, and will work with allied health or medical practitioners to minimise these risk factors.

FAQs

  1. Will it hurt?

We understand that dental treatment is never pleasant, and where possible we want you to be as comfortable as possible during treatment. Treatment usually requires the use of local anaesthetic injections to numb the teeth and gums. Sometimes the use of a topical numbing agent (Oraquix) is also advised to make routine cleaning more tolerable without injections.

2. I am very anxious - what are the options?

We understand that anxiety about dental treatment is very common. At Focus Perio, we offer intravenous (IV) sedation, also known as conscious sedation, or “twilight sedation”. It is a form of anaesthetic that helps relax you for your surgery, and is commonly used for minor procedures such as dental extractions and removal of wisdom teeth. We have arranged for a specialist anaesthetist doctor to deliver this service in our surgery. Your periodontist will advise you whether IV sedation is appropriate for you.

3. Can I see my dentist for cleaning instead?

If your dentist has referred you to a periodontist, this normally indicates that the complexity of treatment required is beyond their scope.

SURGICAL PERIODONTAL TREATMENT

In some cases where there is more severe disease, periodontal surgery may recommended. For example, when the tissue around your teeth is unhealthy and cannot be repaired with non-surgical treatment.

Surgery can be used to:

  • Gain access to the root surfaces that can’t be accessed non-surgically

  • Reduce the depth of periodontal pockets

  • Regenerate lost periodontal attachment

  • Increase the amount of tooth above the gum for aesthetics or restorative procedures - which is known as crown lengthening

  • Graft tissue into areas where the gums have receded

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.