Periodontal Therapy
At Montville Periodontics and Implantology, we strive to provide dental care to our patients diagnosed with gum disease in a comfortable and anxiety-free environment. Dr. Gluck uses modern technology in both the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease, and ensures that his office is educated about the latest techniques and procedures that are safe, effective, and improve your care.
Below we describe the treatment planning as well as the surgical and non-surgical treatment modalities that will be utilized in treating your gum disease and restoring periodontal health.
If you have any questions regarding the care described here, or if you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Gluck to explore your options, please call us at:
(973) 276-7926.
Treatment Planning
At your first visit, Dr. Gluck will utilize information from the clinical and radiographic examinations to formalize a periodontal diagnosis and treatment plan that is specific to each patient. If implants are indicated for your case, we will review your options with you and consult with your restorative dentist to finalize a treatment plan together.
Our office is equipped with state of the art radiographic digital technology. In addition to digital x-rays for intra-oral diagnosis, the office also has 3-D (CBCT - Cone Beam) technology. This provides a comprehensive evaluation of the length and width of the jaw bone which allows for pre-surgical planning, resulting in safer and more accurate implant placement.
Periodontal Non-Surgical Therapy:
Scaling and Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is the removal of plaque and/or calculus below the gum line. Dental plaque is a film of bacteria which can cause bone loss, gum recession and decay. Calculus is dental plaque which has picked up minerals from the saliva and hardened.
Scaling and root planing is also known as a "deep cleaning". It is usually done with local anesthetic such as lidocaine injection or a topical gel so that the patient is comfortable. This cleaning is very thorough and meticulous and may take 2-4 visits for a full mouth treatment.
The goal of this procedure is to shrink periodontal pockets while eliminating harmful bacteria from the mouth. A periodontal pocket is an abnormally deep crevice which exists between the tooth and the gum. This is the hiding spot for bacteria.
Benefits of Scaling and Root Planing: •
Controls the growth of bacteria both above and below the gum line
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Helps gums reattach and pocket depths to be reduced
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Decreases bleeding gums
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Prevents bone and tooth loss
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Promotes healthy gums and teeth
Periodontal Surgical Therapy:
Osseous Surgery (Resective / Regenerative)
Deep periodontal pockets may not completely heal after scaling and root planing due to the depth of the bacteria along the root surface making it inaccessible to remove. Surgery may be needed to access and debride the residual bacteria deep in the periodontal "pocket" which will result in: a decrease in the depth of the gum pocket, removal of inflamed tissue, and a reduction in damage to the bone supporting the teeth.
Surgery allows Dr. Gluck to access hard-to-reach areas under the gum and along roots where plaque and calculus have accumulated.
Wherever possible, the ultimate goal of surgery is to perform bone regeneration. In this procedure either human (cadaver), cow (bovine) or synthetic bone is placed adjacent to the tooth in order to provide additional support. These procedures involve making a small incision between the tooth and gum in order to obtain access to the diseased root and bone. The area is meticulously cleaned and medicated and then the appropriate regenerative material is applied.
Surgical therapy also includes extraction of hopeless teeth. When teeth are extracted it is frequently recommended to preserve the socket with bone graft material in order to prevent loss of support for adjacent teeth and the jaw bone in general.
Prevention & Maintenance
Supportive Periodontal Therapy is a crucial part of periodontal stability especially for patients with a history of periodontal disease. If the patient is not properly cleaning their teeth at home and misses their regular maintenance visits (cleaning/exam), it is likely that the periodontal disease will recur. Dr. Gluck will collaborate with your dentist to ensure that you are closely supervised so that we can maintain your periodontal health. We usually recommend that our patients receive a maintenance cleaning every 3 months alternating with their general dentist and a yearly exam at our office (to monitor periodontal health) and their general dentist's office (to check for cavities).