PERIODONTITIS – ADVANCED IN HOUSTON, TX

If left untreated, periodontitis can reach an advanced stage where it starts affecting your teeth and jaw bones. These infections don’t respond to proper hygiene or antibiotics, and have to be physically removed. Additionally, if the bone or teeth become infected, other procedures such as grafting may become necessary to promote healthy tissue.

Advanced periodontitis follows the same onset as gingivitis and periodontitis, but it has reached a far more destructive stage. At this stage, antibiotics, cleanings, and proper hygiene are not enough to reverse the damage and stop the spread of infection. The best course of action at this point is to have dental surgery by a periodontist or doctor of dental surgery (DDS). We can perform these dental surgeries in our Galleria dentist office.

Surgical Treatments

There are several surgical treatments that can be used to treat advanced periodontitis.

• Flap Surgery
  During this procedure, small incisions are made in the gums to allow them to be peeled up like a flap. This gives us better access to the gums and underlying bone. We can then more thoroughly scale the area to remove plaque and tartar buildup. The bones may need to be contoured to remove rough spots where bacteria can latch on and grow. After healing, the gums and teeth will be easier to keep clean.

• Soft Tissue Grafts
  Soft tissue from the roof of the mouth is taken to replace the gums that have receded too far. It covers exposed roots, protecting them from further bacterial infection. It also gives teeth a more pleasing appearance by balancing out the gum line with the teeth.

• Bone Grafts
  In situations where the bone becomes infected, a bone graft may be necessary. The donor bone material may be your own, a donors, or synthetic, but it replaces the bone around a tooth or teeth affected by the infection. Affected teeth are at risk of falling out when the bone structure deteriorates, and the bone graft will strengthen these areas.

• Guided Tissue Regeneration
  During this operation, a biocompatible fabric is placed to prevent all but desired tissue from growing. The fabric is placed between the bone and teeth at risk of falling out and allows your own bone to repair itself.

• Enamel Matrix Derivative Application
  As an alternative to guided tissue regeneration, enamel matrix derivative application uses a gel on an infected root to regrow the tooth enamel. The gel contains proteins found in developing teeth, and it stimulates the bone and tissue to grow.