Gum disease is a highly prevalent issue in communities all over the world. As it tends to be painless until it becomes severe, it often slips under the radar of issues to be taken care of. Many people participate in preventative measures to stop gum disease, including flossing, brushing their teeth, and using mouthwash. But sometimes, severe gum disease requires surgery to fix. Laser therapy, rather than traditional methods, is quickly being adopted by dentists as the best way to treat gum disease.
How do you know if you have gum disease?
Gum disease, or periodontitis, is a condition where the gums pull away from the teeth and form pockets of bacteria. These bacteria can break down bone and connective tissue surrounding the teeth and cause tooth loss. Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, and its progressed stages require surgery to be able to fix.
Gingivitis often precedes gum disease. This is when the gums become inflamed and sensitive. They may bleed when you brush or floss your teeth. This milder stage is easier to reverse with proper oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist.
But what happens when gum disease progresses too far? Is there a way to fix later stages of gum disease? Many people are aware of the traditional way to reverse gum disease, but there is another option—laser therapy.
Laser therapy is lesser-known than traditional methods, but it is fast growing because both dentists and patients are recognising the greater success rates attained with using laser therapy instead. Dentists at Dentrix Dental Care specialise in this new form of treatment to yield higher success rates in treating gum disease.
So, what is laser therapy?
Laser therapy is a nonsurgical way of restoring gums affected by gum disease. The dentist uses a laser on the gums to rid them of pockets that are infected with bacteria. Laser therapy allows the gums to regenerate its tissues, bones, and collagen. It does not take away any of the gum’s existing tissue—it only removes the infected parts.
After the laser is used, the dentist then smooths rougher parts of the mouth to prevent bacteria from building up as well as preventing the disease from making a return. After this, the parts that have been scraped are more easily able to regenerate as well.
What is the difference between a traditional procedure and laser therapy?
Traditional procedures involve the dentist cutting open the gum with a scalpel to scrape away the diseased pockets full of bacteria in the mouth. This method may require bone grafting or membrane materials to reconnect affected teeth to the root of the gums.
Traditional procedures may cause bleeding around the gums and have a slower healing time due to the sewing of the gums. On the other hand, laser therapy may cause discomfort in the mouth after the procedure, but bleeding and pain in the gums are minimal.
Since traditional methods are more invasive, they require anaesthesia for the procedure to take place. Laser therapy, on the other hand, is minimally invasive—many patients do not require anaesthesia for the procedure. In addition, pain medication after the procedure is often not necessary, unlike with the traditional procedure.
Both methods treat gum disease effectively, but laser therapy holds better long-term results. Laser therapy has a higher success rate of bone regeneration and regeneration of the connective tissues to the teeth. It is also more often effective in reversing the effects and symptoms of gum disease.
Traditional surgery for the gums and laser therapy are of comparable costs, but laser therapy is often cheaper.
Conclusion
Traditional surgery is not the only option anymore. With laser therapy’s superior healing times, minimal invasiveness, and comparable costs, it is quickly becoming the preferred method for those who require surgery for gum disease.