WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE COURSE OF NON-SURGICAL PERIODONTAL THERAPY
Usually patients with gum disease attend for a periodontal consultation and the most common treatment to be provided in the non-surgical treatment. This may include the following: -
Dividing the mouth into four quadrants for treatment - Upper Left, Upper Right, Lower Left, Lower Right
At the beginning of each session the periodontist will give local anesthetic in the quadrant being worked on to fully numb the area and keep the patient comfortable during therapy.
The periodontist will carry out deep cleaning (below the gum line) of the deep pockets. This removes any plaque and tartar, in addition to smoothing the root surfaces to prevent or to reduce plaque accumulation on the treated area. In some cases antibiotics are given during the course of treatment. Also, irrigation with antiseptics or locally delivered antibiotics can be introduced into the deep pockets to help combat infection and bacteria.
After treatment some patients may experience different levels of pain or discomfort, which may include: -
Reaction to medication or local anesthesia
Postoperative bleeding
Postoperative pain, pain in the teeth and roots
Postoperative swelling and bruising
Postoperative infection
Postoperative sensitivity (most common), usually felt with temperature change. This may require further treatment to reduce sensitivity.
Changes in appearance of teeth due to gum recession and roots becoming exposed due to soft tissue healing.
Margins of crowns can become visible.
Increase in gaps between teeth as inflammation is eliminated. Soft tissue tends to shrink, which can cause black triangles between the teeth.
Tooth mobility and loss. Usually treatment could be carried out for some 'questionable prognosis teeth' (teeth that have a poor prognosis and have no guarantee of being saved successfully, or surviving). However, your periodontist tries to deliver a treatment that gives some questionable teeth a chance to survive. This is not always successful, and a poor prognosis tooth can be lost as they do not respond well to therapy.
It is important to realize that the aftereffects are temporary and do not affect all patients. A normal over-the-counter pain reliever can help if you are affected.