Periodontics by Minneapolis Area Point Family Dentistry

At Point Family Dentistry, we are concerned with the best Minneapolis area dental work for your ongoing dental health. Periodontal disease is a chronic disease, and many times asymptomatic. Sometimes it is easier to equate periodontal disease to arthritis; we can treat the symptoms of arthritis but we can not reverse the damage caused by the disease. That means ounce you have periodontal disease, you are going to have the disease for the rest of your life. Once the disease is diagnosed, the treatment options will be discussed with you.

Typically, the treatment of periodontal disease requires a deep cleaning, called scaling and root planing, which is usually done under local anesthesia. Adjuncts to scaling and root planing include the use of local and/or systemic antibiotics, such as Arestin or Periostat. We typically utilize an antimicrobial mouthwash called chlorohexidine, which can be used for only several weeks. Prolonged use of chlorohexidine may cause staining of your teeth and alter your taste sensation. Many patients choose to use Tooth and Gums Tonic, which is alcohol-free and is made from organic herbs. It contains gotu kola, an herb that supports the health of connective tissues. Tooth and Gums tonic can be used long term without the side effects associated with chlorohexidine.

Home care instructions are an integral part of controlling the disease, and instructions unique to each individual will be discussed during your appointment. We may also recommend the use of an ultrasonic toothbrush, or other oral hygiene aids.

Six to eight weeks after the deep cleaning, a comprehensive follow up examination will be performed with a dental hygienist. At this appointment, the gum and supporting tissues will be assessed to see how you responded to the initial treatment. Homecare instructions and recall intervals will be determined at this appointment. Sometimes, further surgical intervention is required if certain areas failed to respond to the initial treatment. A referral to a periodontist may be necessary in certain cases that are refractory to initial treatment.

Periodontal recall visits are an important part of controlling periodontal disease. Recall intervals vary depending on the level of your disease, but typically we will see you every 3-4 months for your periodontal recall appointments.

Picture your mouth like the face of a clock, and imagine that if you divide the face of the clock into four sections they are just like the four quadrants in your mouth. We may numb one quadrant at each recall visit, so we can comfortably clean the teeth under the gums. This allows us to remove the deposits that form on your teeth called, calculus or tarter. These tarter deposits are where the harmful bacteria live; under a microscope, the tarter looks like swiss cheese, and it is in these spaces the bacteria live. It is important that these deposits are disturbed on a regular basis so our natural defenses can work against these harmful bacteria.

Smoking is a significant risk factor for periodontal disease, and can lead to less than ideal outcomes following periodontal therapy. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, which causes reduce blood flow to tissues that can prolong or delay healing. Smoking also leads to the colonization of more harmful bacteria in the mouth, called anaerobes. Often times, we will recommend the use of an adjunct antibiotic called Periostat in patients that smoke to help decrease these harmful bacteria. Tobacco cessation is difficult, and if you are interested in quitting smoking we can often times help you along the way. When you are ready to quit smoking, let your healthcare providers know so we can find the best quit plan for you.

Make sure to talk to our dentists about your concerns and fears, so we can help you to have a healthy mouth and gums, with our reassuring Minneapolis area dental work.

Smile, laugh, and feel yourself again, with a healthy smile, from Point Family Dentistry's Minneapolis area periodontics care.

Providing Minneapolis area dental work for periodontics to Bloomington, Edina, St. Paul, Chanhassen, Richfield, Burnsville, Lakeville, Eden Prairie, Savage, Prior Lake, Minnetonka, Plymouth and Shakopee.