We offer periodontal disease treatment at our office in Albany, NY
Periodontal tissues are the structures that support the teeth, including the gingiva and bone. Periodontal disease occurs when the gingiva and bone around the teeth become unhealthy. There are four stages of periodontal disease.
Stage 1 – Gingivitis: Bacteria from plaque produce byproducts which irritate the gums and cause inflammation. The gums appear swollen and red, and often bleed easily.
Stage 2 – Early Periodontitis: Inflammation progresses into the other supporting structures of the teeth and causes bone loss resulting in deeper gingival pockets around the teeth.
Stage 3 – Moderate Periodontitis: Continued inflammation and destruction of supporting structures causes more bone loss and deeper gingival pockets, the teeth may begin to feel loose.
Stage 4 – Advanced Periodontitis: Bone loss progresses and tooth mobility increases. Eventually, this will result in the loss of teeth if untreated.
Preventing Periodontal Disease
There are varying treatments for the different stages of periodontal disease, but prevention is most important. Proper oral hygiene, including brushing twice daily, flossing twice daily, and having your teeth cleaned at the dentist twice a year, are the best ways to prevent periodontal disease. However, once periodontal disease is detected, your doctor and hygienist can help form a treatment plan for stabilizing it. Procedures such as scaling and root planning, localized antibiotics can be performed at our office. For more complicated cases or for more complicated treatments, we sometimes refer patients to a Periodontist who specializes in this area of dentistry.
