Periodontal Procedures in Forty Fort, PA

Oral health encompasses more than just the health of your teeth. Your gums are responsible for holding the teeth in place, but they cannot do their job if they are unhealthy. Gum disease, when not treated, can cause a range of problems from bad breath to loss of teeth.

Periodontal surgery includes crown lengthening and scaling and root planing. These procedures can enhance your smile by correcting problems like long or short teeth, uneven gum line, receding gums, exposed roots, and indentations in the gums or jawbone.

If you are in need of periodontal or any other dental services in Wilkes-Barre, Kingston, Forty Fort, Dallas, or Back Mountain, PA, call Dr. Todd’s office at 570-287-2500 or request an appointment.

Good oral hygiene practices at home go a long way toward maintaining healthy teeth and gums, but even the very best personal care cannot completely prevent bacteria and plaque. If the plaque is not removed, it can harden into calculus. Your personal periodontal maintenance program will be based on the rate at which you develop calculus and your past and current periodontal health. An oral health examination is a normal part of your routine cleanings, which will identify any periodontal issues that need to be addressed.

Gum disease can often be treated using non-surgical means. When plaque and calculus build up beneath the gum line, scaling can be used to remove it. Special instruments are used to get below the gums and clean out the plaque. This procedure is sometimes followed up by root planing, which entails smoothing down the root of the tooth so that the gums have a clean surface to attach to.

Chronic periodontal disease can eventually lead to bone loss in the jaw, which in turn causes teeth to loosen. Teeth can be stabilized using a procedure called periodontal splinting, which can be done using a variety of materials including wire/ribbon, composite resin and crowns. Any combination of these materials may be used to stabilize the teeth in cases where loosening due to periodontal disease could not be prevented.

ARESTIN® is a locally applied antibiotic that delivers minocycline microspheres in the form of a powder. It is placed directly into the infected periodontal pocket at the time of scaling and root planing procedures for easy, targeted treatment. The microspheres adhere to the surrounding surfaces to provide a sustained release of the antibiotic at the site of active infection for effective treatment. It is used in pocket depth reduction and may be used as part of a periodontal maintenance program. 

Benefits of ARESTIN® include: 

• No local anesthesia required
• No adhesive required
• No dressing required
• No need for removal as the microspheres are completely bioresorbed
• Remains active in the pocket for an extended period of time

Crown lengthening involves the removal of gum tissue and/or bone to expose more of a tooth’s structure. This is often done in cases of teeth that have been significantly worn down, or in cases where gum tissue naturally covers too much of the teeth.

Gum grafting treats root exposure resulting from receded gum tissue.  Tissue is removed from the roof of the mouth or from gum tissue near the tooth and stitched into the area needing gingival repair.

Bone grafting is the replacement or enhancement of bone around teeth.  When a tooth is lost, the surrounding bone collapses.  Bone grafting is performed to reverse bone loss or enhance bone.  The bone can be taken from parts of the body or from synthetic material.  Bone grafting allows for proper support of dental implants or prostheses.

A pocket depth reduction is a surgical procedure used to smooth and reshape affected bone under the gum tissue.   This procedure is performed when a pocket around a tooth (or teeth) has not responded to other treatments.  It creates a shallow pocket making it difficult for bacteria to survive and damage bone, resulting in bone loss and ultimately, tooth loss.

Bone regeneration is a periodontal surgical procedure that regenerates jaw bone and surrounding tissue. This procedure is often performed to protect your existing teeth and the tissues that keep them in place from bacterial plaque. The gingival tissue is folded back to remove the disease-causing bacteria. Membranes, bone grafts or tissue-stimulating proteins can be used to encourage the body's natural ability to regenerate bone and tissue.

Ridge preservation involves placing a regenerative bone grafting material into empty tooth sockets to rebuild bone where an extraction has left an empty, weakened area.  This process encourages your body’s natural capacity to regenerate bone.

Dr. Todd Paczewski provides complete dental care, including periodontal procedures, in Wilkes-Barre, Kingston, Forty Fort, Dallas, Scranton, and Back Mountain, PA. If you are in need of any type of dental services, call 570-287-2500or request an appointment..