Periodontitis is an inflammation and infection of the gums. The condition causes the soft tissue of the gums to pull away from the teeth, and the bone and connective tissue that hold the teeth to deteriorate. Dental practitioners generally turn first to non-surgical treatment approaches to remove tooth plaque and cure infection; however, people with severe periodontitis may require surgical intervention.
Deep Cleaning
Plaque buildup on the teeth can contribute to the development and worsening of periodontitis, so dentists may use one of two common deep-cleaning methods to remove excess plaque from the teeth, according to MayoClinic.com. One of these methods is called scaling; it involves using surgical or ultrasonic devices to remove bacteria and tartar from the surface of the teeth and beneath the gum line. The other procedure, called root planing, makes use of a laser to refine rough patches on the root of the tooth where bacteria often reside. According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, root planing generally causes less pain and bleeding than scaling or other deep-cleaning methods.
Antibiotics
In cases where periodontitis has caused the formation of one or more abscesses in the mouth, a dentist may prescribe topical or oral antibiotics such as amoxicillin and metronidazole to treat the infection, according to Merck.com. Gel inserts containing antibiotics may also be placed in the pocket of an abscess or between the teeth and gums in another diseased area of the mouth. This type of application delivers highly concentrated antibiotics to the spot of infection. Oral practitioners may also prescribe antibiotic mouth rinses such as those containing chlorhexidine.
According to MayoClinic.com, patients may only be treated with antibiotics if absolutely necessary as overuse of these medications can lead to the creation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Surgery
Surgical treatment is typically reserved for patients with severe periodontitis that does not respond to deep cleaning or antibiotics. Flap surgery, or pocket reduction surgery, is a type of surgery requiring only local anesthesia that involves making an incision into the gum area to provide more direct access to the tooth root for deep cleaning. According to MayoClinic.com, a dentist may also perform bone recontouring during this surgery to help rebuild areas of dental bone deterioration. Individuals with severely receding gum lines may undergo soft tissue grafts--a surgical procedure in which damaged gum tissue is replaced with healthy tissue from the roof of the mouth. Those who have lost substantial bone surrounding the tooth root may benefit from surgical procedures such as bone grafting and guided tissue regeneration that rebuild bone using synthetic bone material, fabric and/or pieces of the patients' own bones.
