Parodontology
Periodontium

Own teeth to old age.

Periodontitis refers to the infection of the gums, which can lead to receding gums or even the loosening of teeth. It is often virtually painless in the beginning, which is what makes it even more important to look for the relevant warning signs. Periodontitis is a widespread disease, and most of those affected are not aware of having it. It is a matter of course for our practice team to carefully look for even the slightest indication of periodontal disease with their skilled eyes during follow-up appointments. If you have noticed symptoms such as conspicuous redness or swelling of the gums, bleeding of the gums after brushing your teeth or bad breath, do not hesitate to contact us.

Periodontics is concerned with the treatment of acute disease of the periodontium, one example being periodontitis (infection of the tissue surrounding the teeth, such as the gums.) The aim of periodontics in our dental practice in Oberursel is to keep the periodontium functioning for as long as possible to support our patients in keeping their natural teeth into old age, if possible. This gentle approach to maintaining teeth requires sustainable solutions that demand a great deal of thinking ahead. It is the complexity and overall approach that make periodontics a special field. Because the focus is on prevention, all contributing factors and aspects must be considered simultaneously and the appropriate conclusions drawn. In periodontal treatments, it is important to take an individual look at each patient. There are no universal solutions. Every patient requires an individual treatment strategy that is adapted to the needs of their own mouth.

We would be happy to advise you!

SPECIALTY TRAINING IN PERIODONTICS

The additional title “Specialty Training in Periodontics” may be used by dentists who have completed continuing education according to the standards and guidelines issued by the Land of Hessen (LZKH), have outstanding expertise in this field and are committed to further education.

NON-SURGICAL PERIODONTAL THERAPY - SYSTEMATIC SCALING AND ROOT PLANING (SRP)

Conventional or non-surgical periodontal therapy, also known as deep cleaning or scaling and root planing (SRP), is distinguished by the fact that the gums are not subject to any surgical cutting during the procedure. It is gentle and does not require surgical intervention. The procedure is generally performed using local anesthesia and is now only minimally invasive, which means that patients - particularly anxious patients - do not need to worry. The surfaces of the root and tooth are cleaned with a combination of precise ultrasonic, sonic and hand instruments to remove both hard and soft plaque. From older patients in particular, we regularly hear their concerns about “periodontal treatment” based on memories of how it used to be performed. The extremely invasive and often painful treatments that many patients are familiar with from the past and associate with bad memories are definitely no longer in use.

In our practice, we prefer to perform the procedure according to the full mouth disinfection concept. To prevent reinfection, the treatment should be performed in two sessions held within 24 hours, if possible. Depending on the severity of the periodontitis, we perform the treatment on two subsequent days or during one appointment. It is of utmost importance for the time period between the procedures to not be too long, otherwise rapid reinfection of the cleaned areas may result. Follow-up care and check-ups at short intervals are extremely important, because periodontitis is a disease that can become acute again if follow-up care is neglected.

We will be by your side from the very first visit and clearly explain the risks of periodontitis as well as your treatment options in our dental practice.

MICROBIOLOGICAL TEST FOR BACTERIA

In some cases, patients can have exceptionally aggressive bacteria that cannot be eliminated with mechanical cleaning alone. If we suspect this might be the case for you, a test for bacteria is performed. This makes it possible to eliminate the bacteria with a combination of specific antibiotics and mechanical cleaning. The combination is extremely important in this case because it is impossible to eliminate the bacteria with antibiotics alone or with cleaning alone. This is because the bacteria live in what is called a biofilm, where antibiotics are not able to reach the bacteria. The biofilm therefore needs to be destroyed mechanically for the antibiotics to take effect. The antibiotics can then successfully attack and eliminate the bacteria as soon as they are no longer bound in the film.

REGENERATIVE PERIODONTAL SURGERY WITH GTR/GBR

Periodontal surgery is considered by dentists if systematic, classic periodontal treatments are not sufficient and infected pockets are found in subsequent check-ups. The pockets are often so deep that surgical follow-up treatment is required to prevent losing the tooth and gum tissue. Such surgical procedures are performed carefully and attentively and are minimally invasive.

An advanced case of periodontitis can often cause receding gums or even bone loss in the jaw and requires surgical intervention. Conventional surgical treatment methods were designed to “cut out periodontal pockets,” making it extremely invasive. New methods such as guided tissue regeneration (GTR) or guided bone regeneration (GBR) are much gentler and more comfortable for the patient after the procedure as it is predominantly a microsurgical procedure.

The aim of these procedures is to use special enamel matrix proteins and bone replacement material to fill and regenerate bone defects. In addition, some periodontal pockets can remain extremely deep after the first round of non-surgical periodontal treatment, making them impossible to clean and they remain permanently infected. Not reacting in such a case will eventually result in loss of the tooth, which is why periodontal flap surgery (scaling and root planing after surgical opening of the gums) is recommended with the aim to cure and reduce the periodontal pocket. This procedure is also performed carefully and reveals the surface of the tooth to be cleaned.

INDIVIDUAL & SYSTEMATIC TREATMENT STRATEGIES

The days in which periodontitis was considered to “simply” be a gum infection or inflamed gums are thankfully a thing of the past. We are now able to take consideration of the bacteria in each patient’s mouth on an individualized basis when determining both preventive care and treatment. Every patient is unique, which also means they have different habits in terms of nutrition, oral hygiene, etc. In particular in the mouth, these habits as well as genetic predispositions manifest themselves in the bacterial growth and bacterial resistance of a patient’s teeth and gums. These recognized facts are the cornerstones of our sensitive, patient-oriented treatment. Our entire practice concept aims at providing individualized and systematic treatment for each and every patient.

PREVENTION WITH TARGETED PROPHYLAXIS

Healthy and firm gums as protection against periodontitis is perhaps the best preventive measure for maintaining your own teeth. Unfortunately, there is no sure formula for success. Due to the unique way every person lives life, prophylaxis to prevent gum disease varies from patient to patient. As a result, the defined intervals for visits are different for every patient as they are based on medical indications and risk assessment.

Protecting you from periodontal disease, or treating and following you up well if you have periodontitis, is a matter close to our hearts. In our dental practice, individual prophylaxis plans are worked out in close cooperation with our prophylaxis department and systematically carried out, e.g. with automated appointment reminders for patients. Dr. Heinlein and our prophylaxis team work hand in hand to provide you with optimal treatment.

Please contact us. We are happy to help!