Periodontics, dental hygiene, root scaling and planning

The periodontal illness,  as its name indicates, is an illness of the entire perimeter of the affected tooth, including the gum and root cement, the ligament that anchors the tooth to the bone.  The presence of bacteria and dental plaque in the zone produces a chronic infection that affect the tissues that support the root.  Years of bad dental health result in the loss of root bone to support the teeth which begin a progressive deterioration until they end up, literally, like piano keys.  The consequence is the loss of teeth even though they may be absolutely healthy.

The dental hygiene conducted in the clinic consists of cleaning the tooth's perimeter (the infected gum, root cement and periodontal ligament) with specific instruments by the nursing hygienist who is a professional specialised in the task.  In the case of patients who for whatever reasons or circumstances cannot undertake the cleaning in the best possible way, we normally ask them to return once or twice a year to preserve the health of affected gums through methodic and regular checks.