It is not a given that we must lose teeth as we age. If we maintain good oral hygiene and have regular professional cleanings and oral examinations, chances are we can keep our natural teeth for life. That involves not only caring for the teeth themselves, but also the structures that surround them: the gums and tooth-supporting bone. Gum disease, which is a bacterial infection, threatens these supporting tissues. That is why dental professionals are always on the lookout for early signs that patients may not notice. When signs of trouble become apparent, periodontal therapy may be suggested.
Periodontal therapy can take various forms, but the goal is always to restore diseased tissues to health. Gum (periodontal) disease can spread from the gums to the bone that supports the teeth, and may even cause tooth loss in the most severe cases. There are very effective therapies to combat this, ranging from scalings (deep cleanings) that remove plaque and calculus (tartar) from beneath the gum line, to surgical repair of lost gum and bone tissue.
Periodontal therapy includes both surgical and non-surgical techniques to restore health to the tissues that support the teeth (gums and bone) and prevent tooth loss. They include:
• Scaling and Root Planing. These deep-cleaning techniques are the best starting point to control gum disease. Plaque and calculus (tartar) are removed from beneath the gum tissues, using hand scalers and/or ultrasonic instruments.
• Gum Grafting. Sometimes it’s necessary to replace areas of lost gum tissue so that tooth roots are adequately protected. This can be accomplished by taking healthy gum tissue from one area of the mouth and moving it to where it is needed, or by using laboratory-processed donor tissue.
• Periodontal Plastic Surgery. When used to describe surgery, the word “plastic” refers to any reshaping procedure that creates a more pleasing appearance of the gum tissues.
• Periodontal Laser Treatment. Removing diseased gum tissue with lasers can offer significant advantages over conventional surgery, such as less discomfort and gum shrinkage.
• Crown Lengthening Surgery. This is a surgical procedure in which tooth structure that is covered by gum and bone tissue may need to be exposed either for cosmetic reasons (too make the teeth look longer and the smile less gummy) or to aid in securing a new dental crown.
• Dental Implants. Today’s preferred method of tooth replacement is a titanium dental implant, which is placed beneath the gum line and into the jawbone during a minor surgical procedure. The implant is then attached to a realistic-looking dental crown that is visible above the gum line and indistinguishable from a natural tooth.
Si jambo la kawaida kwamba lazima tupoteze meno tunapokuwa na umri. Ikiwa tunatunza usafi wa mdomo na kufanya usafi wa kawaida na uchunguzi wa mdomo, kuna uwezekano kwamba tutaweza kuhifadhi meno yetu ya asili kwa maisha yote. Hii inahusisha kutunza meno na pia miundo inayoizunguka, kama vile meno ya meno na mifupa. Ugonjwa wa gum, ambao ni maambukizo ya bakteria, hutishia tishu hizi za kuunga mkono. Kwa hiyo, wataalamu wa meno huchunguza dalili za mapema ambazo huenda wagonjwa wasiweze kuona. Dalili za tatizo zinapoonekana, huenda tiba ya periodontal ikapendekezwa. Tiba ya periodontal inaweza kuwa na aina mbalimbali, lakini lengo sikuzote ni kurudisha tishu zilizoambukizwa kuwa na afya. Ugonjwa wa periodontal unaweza kuenea kutoka kwenye meno hadi kwenye mifupa inayounga mkono meno, na inaweza hata kusababisha kupoteza meno katika visa vikali zaidi. Kuna matibabu yenye ufanisi sana ya kupambana na hii, kuanzia scaling (usafi wa kina) ambayo huondoa plaque na calculus (tartar) kutoka chini ya mstari wa gum, kwa ukarabati wa upasuaji wa gum na mfupa uliopotea. Matibabu ya periodontal ni pamoja na mbinu za upasuaji na zisizo za upasuaji ili kurudisha afya kwa tishu zinazounga mkono meno (kibofu na mfupa) na kuzuia kupoteza meno. Wao ni pamoja na: • Scaling na Root Planing. Mbinu hizo za kusafisha kwa kina ndizo njia bora ya kudhibiti ugonjwa wa taya. Plaque na calculus (tartar) huondolewa kutoka chini ya tishu za gum, kwa kutumia scalers za mkono na / au vyombo vya ultrasonic. • Upasuaji wa kupasua meno. Nyakati nyingine ni muhimu kubadilisha sehemu za tishu ya taya iliyopotea ili mizizi ya meno ihifadhiwe vizuri. Hii inaweza kufanywa kwa kuchukua tishu ya gum kutoka sehemu moja ya mdomo na kuihamisha mahali inahitajika, au kwa kutumia tishu ya mchangiaji iliyotengenezwa maabara. • Upasuaji wa Plastiki ya Periodontal. Wakati linatumiwa kuelezea upasuaji, neno "plastic" hurejezea utaratibu wowote wa kurekebisha umbo ambao hutokeza sura yenye kupendeza zaidi ya tishu za taya. • Matibabu ya Laser ya Periodontal. Kuondoa tishu ya nywele na laser inaweza kutoa faida kubwa juu ya upasuaji wa kawaida, kama vile kutokuwa na wasiwasi na kupungua kwa nywele. • Upasuaji wa Kuongeza urefu wa taji. Hii ni utaratibu wa upasuaji ambapo muundo wa meno uliofunikwa na gundi na tishu ya mfupa unaweza kuhitaji kufunuliwa ama kwa sababu za urembo (kwa kufanya meno yaonekane marefu na tabasamu kuwa chini ya gummy) au kusaidia katika kupata taji mpya ya meno. • Vifaa vya kuingiza meno. Njia inayopendekezwa leo ya kubadilisha meno ni implant ya meno ya titani, ambayo huwekwa chini ya mstari wa gum na ndani ya mfupa wa taya wakati wa utaratibu mdogo wa upasuaji. Kisha implant hiyo huunganishwa na taji la meno lenye kuonekana kama halisi ambalo linaonekana juu ya mstari wa taya na haliwezi kutofautishwa na jino la asili.