Periodontal Treatment

Periodontal treatment is the fundamental therapy that every patient with periodontal disease must receive. Initial periodontal therapy can successfully manage most periodontal conditions and serves as an essential preparatory phase for periodontal care and other dental treatments.

Also known as etiological therapy, this stage of treatment mainly includes:

1. Instructing patients on self-plaque-control techniques and the proper use of oral-hygiene aids, such as toothbrushes, dental floss and interdental brushes;

2. Extracting hopeless teeth with no preservation value;

3. Performing scaling and root-planing to remove plaque and calculus;

4. Eliminating plaque-retention factors, including filling carious cavities and replacing defective restorations;

5. Carrying out necessary occlusal adjustment after inflammation is controlled, with temporary splinting of mobile teeth when indicated;

6. Providing adjunctive pharmacotherapy if needed.

For patients with chronic gingivitis, gingival tissues can fully recover once inflammation subsides after initial periodontal therapy. Regular follow-ups are required to prevent recurrence or progression of the disease.

Patients with mild periodontitis may experience reduced or eliminated periodontal pockets and healing of periodontal tissues after initial treatment. In the absence of tooth loss and restorative needs, patients can proceed directly to long-term periodontal maintenance.

For moderate-to-severe periodontitis, although inflammation can largely subside and periodontal pockets become shallower after initial therapy, further periodontal surgery or multidisciplinary treatment combining endodontics, prosthodontics and orthodontics is usually required.

Pujing Dental Clinic reminds you of two key points for successful periodontal-disease management:

1. Establish good daily oral-hygiene habits;

2. Attend scheduled periodic follow-up appointments.

Regular maintenance therapy can keep periodontitis in a stable, inactive state. Failure to maintain periodontal upkeep will lead to disease recurrence and progressive destruction of periodontal tissues. Long-term favourable outcomes of periodontal treatment can only be achieved through joint efforts and close cooperation between clinician and patient.