Periodontics (Gum Disease)
Periodontal (gum) disease is one of the most common bacterial infections in people around the world and also one of the main reasons for tooth loss. An inflammation of the supporting tissues around the teeth, including the gums and the bone is mostly a result of poor oral hygiene. Plaque, the food debris mixed with saliva and bacteria sticks on the surface of the teeth and cannot be removed with brushing, it gets mineralized into tartar or calculus. Tartar is very hard to remove and can be removed only through by a professional cleaning.
To prevent gum disease good oral hygiene is essential. Proper brushing of the teeth (at least twice a day) with fluoride toothpaste and regular flossing will help to keep the plaque and tartar away from the tooth’s surface.
Healthy nutrition with a minimum amount of sugar intake and drinking plenty of water will help to reduce the number of harmful bacteria and keep the gums healthy. Regular scaling and polishing sessions (twice a year) with the dentist or hygienist is also very important to check the condition of the gums and identifying any risk factors, besides removing the plaque and tartar from surface of the teeth. Treatment of gingivitis and periodontitis includes using techniques to remove the plaque and calculus deposits from above and below the gum line. Deep scaling and root planning help to make the root surfaces smooth, so that the gums can heal and gets reattached to the teeth. Different techniques are used to generate the lost periodontal tissue around the teeth. In recent years the use of lasers in the treatment of periodontal pockets shows excellent results. A soft tissue laser used to assist periodontal therapy helps for a better decontamination of the pockets and reduces the number of bacteria responsible for periodontal disease significantly. Our clinic offers Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy.
Gingival Depigmentation
Gingival depigmentation is a periodontal plastic surgical procedure whereby the gingival hyperpigmentation is removed or reduced. Attempts have been made to treat hyperpigmentation with various techniques like surgical stripping, cryotherapy, and lasers. Depigmentation is a procedure to meet demands of patient for improved esthetics and is recommended after periodontal health is restored. An adequate thickness of periodontal tissue is a pre-requisite. One of the first and still popular techniques to be employed is the surgical removal of undesirable pigmentation using scalpel. It is a simple and effective technique. The procedure essentially involves split thickness excision of superficial pigmented epithelium. The new epithelium that forms is devoid of melanin pigmentation.