Regeneration
Basalt CO
 Gum disease, or periodontitis, can have serious consequences for your oral health. Plaque layers on the teeth will harden and form tartar if not cleaned properly, which will buildup in your gumline. These pockets of tartar in the gums can give bacteria access to deeper parts of your jaw, leading to infection and decay of the bone. This bone decay can result in tooth loss and damage surrounding tissues.
Traditional periodontics uses inorganic material to fill the gaps left in the mouth from missing teeth to maintain the architecture of the jaw. While effective for the most part, this treatment does not necessarily prevent further decay from occurring. The use of antibiotics may hold off bacteria long enough for the tissue and bone to regenerate, but this is not always the case. True regeneration of the affected area of the mouth is the Holy Grail of periodontics.
Here at Blue Periodontics, our experienced team of dental specialists is dedicated to making sure that your mouth heals properly after the medical intervention is performed. Without proper regeneration, the mouth remains susceptible to decay and infection. This article will discuss some of the techniques that periodontists use to ensure the mouth heals properly after surgical or non-surgical operations take place.
Guided Tissue Regeneration
A common method to ensure the proper regeneration of areas of the mouth prone to infection is Guided Tissue Regeneration (GTR). GTR can take place after pocket reduction surgery. In pocket reduction surgery, the gum line is folded back so that the oral surgeon can access the buildups of tartar that are buried beneath the gums. Once the surgeon has access to the pockets of tartar, they scrape out the tartar to prevent further bacterial deposits from having access to deeper parts of the jaw.
While it is beneficial to remove the tartar from the gums, this procedure does not take preventative measures to prevent more tartar build-ups from occurring in the future. One way to prevent future issues is to place a membrane between the tooth and the gums. This process is GTR. The membrane acts as a barrier to prevent bacteria from entering this part of the gums again, giving the area more time to heal on its own.
Biologically Mediated Strategies
An evolving area of study is regenerative periodontics that uses biological materials that stimulate new cell growth. This may involve the use of certain proteins, or even stem cells, mixed with the implant in the case of a bone graft.
These materials, through complicated biological functions, encourage new cell growth at a faster rate than would occur without the presence of these materials. Since the cells around the site of the infection are allowed to regenerate at a quicker pace, they are less prone to infection. Stimulated cell growth also allows the affected area to grow back even stronger, promising more support and stability in the future.
The field of regenerative periodontics is evolving each year and has yet to be perfected. However, there are still many benefits to regenerative procedures, and it is a very promising area of study. To find out more about regenerative periodontics, call Blue Periodontics at (970) 678-3473 to get more information. |
