It affects more than 6 in 10 adults on average and is a major cause of tooth loss. We are talking about periodontitis, an inflammatory disease that affects the periodontium, that is the set of supporting tissues of the teeth, and which, if not treated, can lead to their loss.
The clinical signs are gingival bleeding, lowering of the gums with the uncovering of the roots, bad breath, tooth mobility, widespread sensitivity to heat and cold, displacement of the dental elements. Most of the time these alarm bells – especially the former which is also the most important because it allows us to intercept the problem before it does irreversible damage – are overlooked or not recognized until it is too late.
This pathology is also linked to numerous systemic diseases, with mechanisms and dynamics largely still to be explored. To name but a few, among the best known: diabetes, metabolic syndromes, cardiovascular disease, female infertility and early miscarriages, neurodegenerative diseases (elderly people with untreated periodontitis and signs of senile dementia have a cognitive decline seven times faster than those who receive an adequate level of periodontal treatment).
There are also important correlations between periodontitis and pulmonary, renal, ocular, otolaryngological and osteoporosis diseases, but the most disturbing element is represented by the connection with as many as 22 oncological forms.
All these worrying links between the state of health of our oral cavity and that of the rest of the body must remind us that the mouth is the entrance door to our body: keeping it clean and in order is essential to maintain our well-being.
Fortunately, periodontitis is now easier to prevent and treat effectively than in the past, even if the erroneous idea still persists that it is only possible to slow down the progression of periodontal pathology, dabbing the symptoms, without resolving the problem definitively. In reality this is an outdated therapeutic approach, as the experts of the centers explain IMI-EDN: thanks to new technological tools, both diagnostic and therapeutic, including biomolecular tests and the operating microscope, it is possible to tackle the problem in a less invasive and more lasting way.
Address the root of the problem
Often both patients and specialists are convinced that they can only act on the damage already present in the oral cavity and that they cannot eliminate the causes of the infection. The main cause of periodontitis is the presence of pathogenic bacterial species and viruses that collaborate in causing inflammation, pain and the destruction of the tissues that connect the tooth to the bone.
Through an in-depth diagnostic path that uses laboratory biomolecular analyzes, it is however possible to understand the biological foundations of the disease, thus developing personalized treatments based on the combined use of the operating microscope and laser, which allow to avoid resorting to surgery in most cases. .
Focus the bacteria
Today, in fact, we have rapid and low-cost microbiological analyzes, extremely reliable, which allow us to differentiate the bacterial species present and the percentage of pathogenic bacteria out of the total of microorganisms. The test is carried out in a totally painless way, by inserting a sterile paper tip in the periodontal pockets and taking a sample that will later be sent to the laboratory. Once the types of bacteria present and their quantity have been identified, it is possible to diversify and customize the treatment, selecting the frequency and duration of the mechanical and laser therapy sessions. Repeating the exam even after the problem has been resolved allows you to monitor the health of the gums and promptly highlight any relapse. In addition to microbiological tests, then, there are genetic tests, which provide an indication of the individual predisposition to periodontitis. The level of risk can be low, medium or high and each category corresponds to a type of prevention and possibly a different intervention.
Less pain, more precision
Among the less invasive therapies, there is the laser-assisted photodynamic treatment, that is an intervention based on the use of laser light. The light can be modulated on various wavelengths depending on the bacteria to be targeted. Specifically, the therapy used in the IMI-EDN clinics, validated by a study carried out on over 3000 patients, uses a particular specific laser and professional hygiene performed with the operating microscope. Thanks to the precision that the operating microscope ensures, it is possible to eliminate plaque and tartar, the soil in which bacteria proliferate, even in the most difficult to reach points of the mouth (such as pockets), without damaging the gum. Once the oral cavity has been cleaned of these deposits, the laser, thanks to its bactericidal and biostimulating power, will have a dual function of eliminating bacteria and stimulating the natural regeneration of tissues. Finally, the repetition of the microbiological test will show the lowering of the pathogenic load and the elimination of the “bad” strains. This surgery can replace traditional surgical therapy with even more precise results and a reduction in pain for the patient. This approach, based on the integration of the two technologies – laser and microscope – combined with each other, strongly limits the use of anesthesia and eliminates gum bleeding from the first sessions.
.