Periodontitis: saving teeth

For sound teeth, sound gums are extremely important as well.

An inflammation of the gums or the jaw bone - called periodontitis - can damage your set of teeth and can end in tooth loss. In order to avoid this, we start with an appropriate therapy in time. So we can stop that process and save your dentalhealth.

A periodontitis is caused by bacterial plaque, which remains in interdental spaces, niches or under overhanging crown margins. These bacteria irritate the gums - only superficially, but constantly. The organism is respondig by launching a chronic inflammation. In the course of that defensive reaction, which actually is natural, initially the superficial gums are weakened. Later on the bone is receeding, too. Then gum pockets can be seen. The bacteria dispread deeper and deeper along the root surfaces and transport the infection into the tissue. The alveolar bone gets destroyed batch-wise, the teeth get loose. However the inflammation and the germs do not only harm the tissues around the teeth, but other organs of the body.

It is a big problem that usually patients do not notice a gum disease themselves. Gum diseases mostly do not cause any pain. And when they spot a problem, often it is too late for a successful treatment. The symptoms of an early periodontitis are very discreet: sometimes bleeding, reddened gums, later on the interdental spaces are becoming opener. The key criterium for the diagnosis periodontitis - the bone loss - can be assessed only by probing and x-rays.