Periodontics en Zaragoza

What are periodontal diseases?

Periodontal diseases are divided into two main groups: gingivitis y periodontitis.

Periodontitis

Periodontitis is a chronic, painless infectious disease that causes inflammation of the periodontal tissues, involving the gums and causing varying degrees of destruction of the supporting bone, as well as the periodontal ligament and root cementum.

This loss of tooth support structures cannot be fully restored for biological reasons, which can compromise both the aesthetics and prognosis of the teeth and, therefore, the treatment plan we can propose to rehabilitate your mouth.

The goal at this point is to achieve biological conditions that allow us to restore all tooth support tissues to a healthy state, as well as proper function and aesthetics in your mouth.

Gingivitis

Gingivitis is a superficial inflammation of the gums, but it can be easily treated in most cases, facilitating complete recovery.

What causes gum disease?

The most common cause of periodontal disease is bacteria. There are more than 300 different types of bacteria in the mouth, and many of them affect the gums. The bacteria that live in the mouth accumulate on the surface of the teeth and in the gingival sulcus, forming plaque.

When bacteria grow in numbers that exceed a certain level, they cause periodontal disease.

In addition, periodontal disease is closely related to other systemic diseases (diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, obesity, etc.) as well as individual conditions (pregnancy, contraceptive use, menopause, stress, depression, etc.). Once periodontal disease is under control, we will be able to better manage conditions such as diabetes.

At what age do periodontal diseases arise?

The most common forms appear in adults. They usually begin at an early age, around 30 years old.

Generally, the younger the person who suffers from it, the greater the likelihood of periodontitis developing. Therefore, additional care is required.

Periodontal diseases rarely affect children, but when they do appear, they are usually serious forms that seriously threaten the teeth and even general health.

Periodontal problems are among the most common diseases in humans.

Periodontics: most common treatments

Currently, there are only two options: basic periodontal treatment or no treatment of the periodontium, leading to tooth loss in the medium to long term. This results in a deterioration in quality of life and increased costs for future restorative treatments.

The treatment consists of the mechanical removal of tartar and plaque, as well as the factors that contribute to their appearance, destroying the biofilm (reservoir of bacteria on the surface of the teeth), helping you and making oral hygiene tasks easier.

During the first phase of treatment after the clinical periodontal diagnosis made by the specialist, you will need to attend the following treatments:

• Periodontal prophylaxis.
• Active periodontal treatment:
  • Scaling and root planing.
  • Occlusal adjustment, relief of occlusal trauma, temporary splinting.
  • Polishing of root and coronal surfaces.
  • Polishing and adjustment of overfilled fillings.

Protocol for patients with periodontal disease

A check-up should be performed 4-6 weeks after the start of treatment, although in some cases an additional check-up (control X-rays) and reassessment by the specialist will be necessary between 6 and 8 weeks after starting treatment.

In a second phase, it will be necessary to determine the therapeutic options depending on the initial condition of the tissues, the severity of the periodontal lesions, and the response to the first phase of treatment.

If you need to receive any other treatment (surgical phases, additional treatment, grafts and membranes, periodontal plastic surgery, etc.), you will be duly informed.

Once the problem has been stabilized, we move on to a periodontal maintenance phase and/or periodontal check-ups every 3, 4, or 6 months, depending on the severity or needs of each patient.

Reviews

During periodontal check-ups, we monitor brushing, check for bacterial plaque, perform probing if necessary, and may take X-rays. In some cases, we may assess the need for additional therapy or re-treatment in certain areas. Each periodontal maintenance procedure will be performed according to the needs of each patient, with check-ups tailored as much as possible to the initial condition and after re-evaluation.