Gum Disease Treatment

Gum Disease destroys your jaw bone, infects your body and degrades your overall health. Some people have it their entire lives. Before we can start with any mouth or bite reconstruction, we need to treat the gums.

Gingivitis and Periodontitis

Before Photo - Uncontrolled gum infection also called gum disease or periodontal disease The swollen gums collect sticky plaque that holds millions of bacteria growing and invading your blood stream. The bacteria also enter your body as they are constantly going down your throat. Your entire body is under bacterial attack. Many diseases, such as heart disease and strokes (blood clot in you brain), have been associated with gum disease. Eight out of ten Americans have some form of gum disease. Periodontal Disease is controlled by getting your teeth cleaned at a dental office and daily brushing & flossing. Dr. Sam Muslin highly recommends the Water Pik as the best final step to flush away the germs and plaque. The red gums associated with gum disease are filled with blood to fight the large infection in your mouth. Scaling and root planing is the beginning therapy performed by a dentist using anesthetics to make sure you are comfortable during the procedure. The purpose of scaling and root planing is to remove the infection, tartar, calculus and plaque from below the gum line.
After Photo - The patient is still not healthy, but the health of the gums has improved remarkably. The swelling and redness have decreased and the shape of the gum is more streamlined. Far less food can collect and the patient is on the road to a higher level of oral and whole body health.

Helpful Drugs and Treatments

PerioChip - Dr. Sam Muslin favors the perio chip at this time because it is a very effective biodegradable gelatin chip filled with the antimicrobial agent chlorhexadine .

First, the dentist begins scaling and root planing, then the periochip is placed in the deep pockets under the gum line. The periochip reduces the amount of bacteria over a 7 day period which speeds healing. PerioChips can be reapplied every 3 to 6 months as needed and are very effective in reducing the infection. The periochip does not replace lost bone and works best when combined with daily oral hygiene by the patient and regular 3 month cleanings by a dentist.

Lasers for Gum Treatment - Lasers are limited because they are used only in a dental office. The patient cannot take them home. They cannot kill germs over an extended period of time. You can use a laser during the scaling and root planing however, the main benefit of killing germs and bacteria comes from the prolonged bacterial killing ability of the PerioChip, Arestin, Atridox and Periostat products . (Dr. Sam Muslin's opinion)

Arestin and Atridox are antibiotics that are placed under the gum line. They are also used with a scaling and root planing procedure and are active for days. However, Arestin and Atridox are antibiotics in the tetracycline family and some people may be allergic. It is more difficult to effectively get Arestin and Atridox down to the deepest part of the pocket. Dr. Muslin has found that with the periochip, which is antibacterial rather than antibiotic, he can place it in the deepest part of the pocket. It does not wash away and he has found it to be more effective.

Periostat - is a systemic antibiotic in the tetracycline family of antibiotics. Periostat is a pill. Because the entire body is effected by periostat , Dr. Sam Muslin prefers the use of the local agents ( Periochip, Arestin and Atridox ). The local agents put the drug of choice (periochip) in the location of choice (your infected pocket), rather than bombard your entire body with an antibiotic pill, like Periostat unnecessarily.

Bone Grafting - Lost bone in your jaw due to bone loss from a extracted tooth, trauma, gum disease or cyst can now be replaced by bone grafting. Sometimes we can fill in deep bone loss areas or stimulate new bone and soft tissue growth. Material for Bone Grafts ("bone in a bottle") such as Bio Oss, Osteo Graft, Pepgen and many other brands of synthetic and bone from cows and people can be used. Chunks, granules or plate like pieces of bone can be purchased from tissue banks for grafting bone defects in our patient's mouths. Sometimes we can get the bone directly from the patients jaw or hip. Bone Grafting can help hold in implants and make fixed bridges look far more natural.

Crown Lengthening - Sometimes your tooth has lost so much tooth structure that it has to be extracted unless we do a crown lengthening surgical procedure. It is a minor surgical procedure and involves opening the gum, trimming the bone and placing the gum back with a couple of sutures. A skilled dentist can complete this procedure quickly, easily and with very little discomfort in most cases.