Periodontitis Treatment with Gum Grafting

Dentists recommend periodontitis disease treatment through gum grafting in some extreme cases. Grafting is a process that is used to treat periodontitis which is already the last chance for an individual to keep his teeth. This disease progresses very slowly, in fact, when it is still in the early stages, the symptoms can still be reversed. But when each stage of the gum disease is taken for granted and treatment or any attempt to prevent the disease is not made, the individual increases the risk of losing his teeth.

It seems like everyone has plaque on the surface of their teeth because this is bound to happen. We all know that plaque that has accumulated can become a very big oral problem. The sticky film however, can be easily removed by just regular brushing and flossing. When these two habits are neglected, plaque can harden into tartar which is difficult to eliminate except by professional cleaning. Tartar is formed when plaque is untreated.

Tartar that is often neglected and left without dental intervention can accumulate on the surface of the teeth and under the gum line. This starts the mildest stage of periodontal disease which is gingivitis. This mild form of the gum disease can be corrected by dentists. When it is still in the primary stage, it can even be reversed with the use of the proper intervention. However, once the disease has advanced into periodontitis, it not only becomes irreversible but can already be progressive.

When the gum disease is already in its advanced stage, the body’s attempt to fight against the infection will cause the gums to recede. When this occurs, the bones holding the teeth in place will eventually degenerate. At this point, dentists start to consider gum grafting in order to bring a halt to the progression of the disease.

Because of uncontrolled infection, recession of the gums is expected and will expose the teeth to the harmful elements underneath such as tartar, plaque, and infection. The grafting of the gums is done to stop the progression of the disease. This is accomplished by finding a healthy site from the inside of the patient’s mouth as the donor, which is usually the skin coming from either the hard or soft palate.

Health problems such as nutritional deficiency diseases, diabetes, and other blood sugar related diseases are believed to be contributory to diseases of the gums. Nowadays, in addition to regular dental check-ups, blood tests are now recently used to screen for dental diseases in an attempt to prevent the progress of the disease.