What to Expect From a Periodontal Treatment
Periodontal treatments can vary widely depending on the procedure, a patient’s particular goals, and the complexity of an individual case. Here’s a look at the general process of getting periodontal treatment, before we look at the details of individual procedures.
Prudental’s Approach to Periodontal Treatment
Initial Consultation
First, you’ll meet with our periodontic surgeon. During this visit, we will assess your oral health, including dental X-rays or scans to evaluate bone density and anatomy. Based on the assessment, we’ll work with you to produce a personalized treatment plan to address your needs and goals, which will include the type of treatment you need.
Your Treatment
Next, you’ll get the specific treatment you need. Your procedure will be performed under local anesthesia, although sedation options may be available for patients who experience dental anxiety.
Healing and Recovery Period
Your healing time will vary, but will typically take a few weeks, during which time pain medications, antimicrobial mouthwashes, and a soft diet will likely be recommended.
Follow-Ups and Ongoing Maintenance
Depending on your treatment, you’ll typically follow-up with your periodontist to ensure that healing is happening as expected and that treatment is as effective as expected. Depending on your treatment, it may take several appointments to fully address the symptoms you’re experiencing.
How Common Periodontal Procedures Work
Comprehensive evaluation of the gums and supporting structures to detect and diagnose periodontal disease.
The periodontist uses instruments to remove plaque and tartar from tooth surfaces and root surfaces below the gumline.
The periodontist lifts the gums to expose tooth roots, cleans them, and may reshape bone before suturing the gums back.
The periodontist places bone graft material (from the patient, donor, or synthetic) to promote bone growth around teeth.
The periodontist takes tissue from the patient's palate or another source and grafts it to areas with gum recession.
A membrane is placed over the exposed root to guide desired tissue growth and block unwanted tissue.
Bone around teeth is reshaped to remove defects caused by gum disease.
The sinus floor is raised with bone graft material to create space for dental implants when bone is insufficient.
Gum tissue and/or bone are removed to expose more of the tooth, usually for restorative purposes.
How Common Periodontal Procedures Work
An initial consultation usually lasts around 1 hour, but could be longer depending on the situation.
Each cleaning session is 1-2 hours. Depending on the severity of your case, multiple appointments may be required. You’ll likely come in for regular follow-ups across 3-4 months until your condition stabilizes and healing occurs.
The procedure takes 1-2 hours, followed by 1-2 weeks healing period and one or two follow-up visits over a few weeks.
The procedure takes 1-2 hours. The healing period can take 3-6 months while the graft integrates with your existing bone. You’ll have one or two follow-ups after healing to ensure the success of your graft and to plan any additional procedures.
The procedure takes 1-2 hours, followed by 1-2 weeks healing period and one or two follow-up visits over a few weeks.
The procedure takes 1-2 hours followed by 3-6 months of healing and a few follow-up appointments to ensure successful regeneration.
The procedure takes 1-2 hours, followed by a 2-4 week healing period and one or two follow-up visits over a few weeks.
The procedure takes 1-2 hours, followed by a 1-2 week initial healing period and one or two follow-up visits over a few weeks. The full healing period can take 4-9 months.
The procedure takes 1-2 hours, followed by a 1-2 week initial healing period and one or two follow-up visits over a few weeks. The full healing period can take 2-3 months.
Do Periodontal Procedures Hurt?
At this point, you probably understand what periodontal procedures are, why they matter, and what procedures are like. But do the procedures and healing periods hurt?
Generally speaking, pain is relatively low as there is typically not significant nerve density where treatments occur. Our team will do everything we can to make the process as comfortable as possible. The amount of discomfort you could experience will vary depending on your individual pain tolerance, the complexity of your procedure, and the type of pain management we use.
During the Procedure
Prior to the procedure, patients may be advised to take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) to help reduce post-operative discomfort.
For most implants, we’ll use local anesthesia prior to the procedure, which numbs the area being treated and blocks sensations of pain throughout the procedure.
Oral sedatives, nitrous oxide (laughing gas), or intravenous (IV) sedation may be available for patients who experience dental anxiety or require additional relaxation during the procedure
After the Procedure
Post-Operative Medications
Patients may be prescribed pain medications such as prescription-strength ibuprofen or acetaminophen with codeine to manage any discomfort following a procedure.
Cold Compresses
Applying cold compresses to the face can help reduce swelling and numb the area, providing relief from discomfort after periodontal surgery.
Soft Diet and Gentle Oral Care
Following periodontal surgery, patients are usually advised to stick to a soft diet and avoid chewing on the surgical site to minimize discomfort and promote healing.
Follow-Up Care
Patients should attend follow-up appointments with their dentist or oral surgeon as scheduled to monitor healing progress and address any concerns or discomfort that may arise.
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