By Dr. Ha Hyun
Periodontitis is the most common gum disease among those aged 40 to 50 years. In general, "pungchi" is a bacilli-caused inflammation of the bones and ligaments that surround the teeth (paradentitis), commonly referred to as gum disease.
Many think that it is easily cured with medication advertised on TV. However, many unfortunate patients have teeth extracted because they don't pay attention to warning signs or take appropriate medication. This is comparable to taking painkillers after breaking an arm.
As mentioned above, the cause is bacilli. Most bacilli that give rise to periodontitis are in food remnants and tartar in the mouth. There would be less gum disease if people removed these. People should keep their mouths clean by brushing their teeth well and visiting clinics regularly for cleaning.
However, more than 90% of middle-aged adults in Korea already have gum disease and don't know it. Once they feel severe pain or loose teeth, they must visit dental clinics for extraction.
There would be no extractions, less pain and an especially high success rate in fighting gum disease if people started to receive treatment in the early stages (just like cancer). There are three ways to treat periodontitis, depending on the condition of the gum.
First, cleaning is recommended to remove tartar. If swelling of the gum is detected in the early stages of periodontitis, cleaning can restore original healthy gum conditions.
The second method is removing tartar just below the gum line and cleaning the root of the tooth. This is normally called gum treatment. It removes tartar and inflammation between the tooth and gum in the middle stages of gum disease and prevents further progress.
The third treatment is oral surgery. This is needed in critical conditions when inflammation cannot be removed by any method other than surgery. This treatment can remove inflammation deep inside the gum and clean the roots of teeth.
Sometimes, bone grafting is required to give strength to the melted dentine. Most patients in advanced stages are advised to undergo surgery to save the teeth without extraction. When teeth cannot be saved because the gum is severely damaged and the teeth are too loose, extraction is the only way to reduce and remove inflammation.
According to recent research, people with periodontitis are at higher risk of heart disease, nephropathy, diabetes and geriatric diseases. Gum disease has recently become a matter of grave concern. Prevention and medical treatment are essential for periodontitis.
When people lost teeth due to periodontitis in the past, it was suggested that they get either bridged crowns or dentures. "Implants" are popular these days as they do not damage adjacent teeth and are possible due to recent remarkable developments in medical technology.
Implant surgery starts with planting an artificial root made of titanium in the dentine and making the root stick to the bone well. If surgery is performed successfully, the artificial root will integrate with the dentine completely as if it were the original root.
Later, an artificial crown will be attached to the top of the root to enable normal teeth function.
● Replaces lost teeth without damaging adjacent teeth
●Stronger than dentures, allowing people to eat normally as if with permanent teeth.
●Implants last longer than dentures.
The surgical procedure for implants can be divided into three steps.
The first step is the first-order operation that integrates the implant and dentine. Next, the patient must wait until the implant firmly sticks to the bone for the second operation. The second step is making a bridge for the titanium and crown to connect. Setting up an artificial crown on the bridge is the final step.
A 3~4 month recovery period is normally required for the lower jawbone and more than 6 months for the upper jawbone. There have been recent cases of reduced recovery time for earlier crowns, but it is better to wait for optimum results.
In the past, only people with healthy dentines could receive implant surgery. However, most people these days, even those with major bone loss, can have the operation because of improvements in bone restorative technology. Nevertheless, there is still a better chance of positive results with healthy bones.
Many people wonder how painful it will be. Since implants are done through surgery, there is pain, but much less than with wisdom teeth extraction. These days the patient has little difficulty even right after the operation thanks to a reduction in pain and bleeding via laser treatment.
Although implants are artificial, patients should treat them like their own teeth. They must brush after every meal and get regular cleaning. Periodontitis can occur in the implant area if the patient does not provide proper care, and the worst outcome would be extraction of the implant. Although an artificial tooth, it works almost the same as a real one.
As mentioned above, periodontitis is a great enemy of the middle-aged. However, implants give them a ray of hope.
Dr. Ha Hyun is director general of the Chicago Dental Hospital. For more information, visit www.chicagotooth.co.kr or call 02-795-1500