Healthy gums are healthy teeth.

Periodontology is the branch of dentistry dedicated to the study of the supporting tissues of the teeth (this includes, the periodontal ligament, the alveolar bone, and gums). Diseases of the periodontum can cause problems such as bleeding gums, halitosis, mobility of the teeth, retraction of the gums, teeth sensitivity, and, eventually, the loss of teeth. The most usual and the main culprit of these diseases is the dental plaque. Periodontology brings solutions to these problems.

Reaching your Objectives

In order to reach your objectives for dental treatment it is very important to keep in mind that the success of the outcom is related to the following key elements:

1)  Fluent communication with the dentist. A clear and concise  communication with the dentist helps to assure the outcome that you are seeking. To help you with this, Dr. Pelcman and key members of his professional staff are fluent in English.

2) Understanding the limitations of the treatment, being realistic about expectations, and having a clear idea of what you want to achieve.

3) Your anatomic features play a role in the treatment. An evaluation by the dentist is necessary.

Periodontitis 

Periodontitis is the inflammation of the periodontum that causes a loss of alveolar bone and, thus, a loss of insertion of the teeth. Chronic periodontitis affects 80% of the adult population and dental plaque is its main culprit. The signs and symptoms of this disease are the above mentioned. As this disease progresses in time, the retraction of the gums along with the subsequent exposure of the roots, becomes evident.

The treatment applied consists basically on scaling and root planning plus a reeducation of the patient on dental hygiene. In some cases, surgeries are also performed in order to have access to sites that otherwise would be impossible to reach to perform the scaling and root planning, or for the patient to have access to  perform  acceptable hygiene.  After the treatment, the sensitivity of teeth to cold or heat increases and the retraction of the gums becomes even more evident. The solution to this bothersome aesthetic and functional problem is with a surgery that consists on adding bone so that it covers the exposed roots and the periodontum is regenerated. This surgery is limited to certain types of bone loss and the case must be radiographically and clinically evaluated in order to know if it is applicable to a specific case.

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Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gums. It can be understood as the same disease as periodontitis, but without a loss of insertion of the tooth. It’s symptoms are: bleeding of the gums, change of color of the gums (red instead of pink), change of the normal shape of the gums, halitosis.

The treatment applied in this case is scaling and a reeducation of the patient on dental hygiene.

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