What is periodontology?
Periodontology is a specialized branch of dentistry. It deals with periodontal disease and inflammatory diseases caused by bacteria in the tissues surrounding the teeth.
The following factors influence the development of periodontal disease:
- POOR ORAL HYGIENE: Not brushing your teeth or not brushing them properly, not using oral care products or not using them properly.
- SMOKING: Certain components of tobacco smoke damage the circulation in the gums. Due to the prolonged constriction of the capillaries, the immune system's defense cells are unable to reach the site of infection in sufficient numbers. Due to the above factors, it is virtually impossible to detect the disease in time, as the warning signs of inflammation, such as gum swelling and bleeding, are barely noticeable even in cases of severe bone destruction.
- HEREDITARY FACTORS: The immune system's ability to defend itself plays a decisive role in the development of periodontal disease. Hereditary factors that impair the functioning of the immune system reduce its effectiveness in defending against bacteria. The bacterial composition of the mouth is largely influenced by the family environment. Newborns are born with a sterile oral cavity, and microorganisms from their immediate environment then develop their permanent oral flora.
- HORMONAL CHANGES Inflammatory symptoms may intensify during puberty and pregnancy. Hormonal changes can exacerbate both the symptoms of existing infections and tissue destruction.
- THE IMPORTANCE OF DIABETES AND IMMUNE DEFICIENCY The most important factor aggravating periodontal disease is diabetes. If not treated properly, this disease can result in severe bone loss and tooth loss.
- TAKING CERTAIN MEDICATIONS Certain types of medications (mainly medications for osteoporosis, as well as medications for high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, epilepsy, medications prescribed to organ transplant patients to prevent rejection, and medications taken during cancer treatment) can alter the symptoms and course of the bacterial infection that causes periodontal disease. Of course, this does not mean that these medications cause the disease: the main cause of infection in these cases is still the presence of bacterial plaque. These can cause the gums to swell and increase signs of inflammation. Gum bleeding only occurs when the gums are so overgrown that they interfere with brushing and the toothbrush irritates the gums. Taking these medications can cause inflammatory gum enlargement and severe gum bleeding.
At our clinic, we provide detailed and personalized oral hygiene education, instruction, and motivation for patients struggling with periodontal problems. Within this framework, we help patients learn proper oral care techniques for use at home, and we monitor their progress during checkups to ensure that these techniques remain effective in the future. Without proper oral hygiene at home, even the most professional treatment cannot be 100% successful. In fact, neglecting oral hygiene can cause the disease to return even after complete recovery.
Regular tartar removal is also essential in periodontal cases, which is recommended at least every 6 months. Tartar removal is not possible at home. Therefore, we perform this procedure in our clinic using special hand instruments and an ultrasonic device. We finish the tartar removal with a special AIR-FLOW polishing device, which is one of the most effective polishing techniques, promoting the removal of plaque and tartar from the teeth and the effective removal of plaque and film remaining on the teeth.
We perform the following periodontal procedures in our clinic:
- Closed curettage under general local anesthesia: without incision, we clean the already formed periodontal pockets (the gum pockets that maintain inflammation) next to the teeth with special hand instruments and an ultrasonic scaler, thus removing the tissue causing the inflammation and the subgingival (under the gum) tartar, thereby promoting healing.
- Open curettage under local anesthesia: we make incisions in the gums, then clean the periodontal pockets with special hand instruments and an ultrasonic scaler, and suture the gums. The sutures are removed 7-10 days after the procedure.
- Splinting: Splinting is the fixation of moving teeth to each other. Its purpose is to aid healing (temporary splints) and to prevent further tooth migration (permanent splints).