Periodontal diseases can result in tooth loss. Periodontal disease has multiple causes. Topping the list are bacterial plaque and calculus (deposits). With traditional care, the first phase of treatment for moderate to severe periodontal disease is a non-surgical approach, scaling and root planning. Research has shown that although this phase of treatment results in the healing and improvement of many sites, approximately 30%-50% of the deposits still remain on the teeth. This limitation is disturbing to me because it is the sites with residual deposits that require surgery.
Recently I have been using my surgical microscope and piezo instruments for scaling and root planning. Piezo technology allows for minimally invasive tissue management. With the significant increase in vision with the microscope, I can now see the plaque and calculus I would have left behind using traditional techniques. This has resulted in a much greater percentage of sites returning completely to health. I have even seen this occur at sites that display severe periodontal disease.
This new and exciting application for the microscope will lead to a significant reduction in surgery and more comprehensive phase-one therapy.
