Periodontal Disease, or bone loss, is a problem that plagues a number of dental patients.  This problem occurs when debris begins to build up under the gums on the roots of the teeth and inflammation occurs in the gums and bone that cause the bone to shrink away.  If this debris is not removed, bone will continue to disappear and teeth may become noticeably looser or pain in the gums can be felt.  Some patients may even note a malodor associated with their breath from the bacteria present in the debris under the gums.  Occasionally dental infections, or abscesses, of the gum tissue can occur.

This condition is generally noted at an initial or regularly scheduled cleaning appointment, when an in depth examination of the gums and bone surrounding your teeth is completed.  This examination generally involves evaluation of x-rays combined with a charting of the depth of the spaces in your gums that surround your teeth to assess how much bone is present to support your teeth.  If bone loss is noticed during this exam, it may be recommended that you have a “deep cleaning”, otherwise known as scaling and root planing.  This is a cleaning that is generally done with the assistance of local anesthesia, or numbing the area to be cleaned, so discomfort is not felt when removing debris from beneath the gums.  If the amount of bone loss is extensive, a referral may be made to a specialist, known as a periodontist, for more extensive care.  Occasionally if insufficient bone is present and teeth are very loose, it may be recommended that certain teeth be removed prior to proceeding with further dental care