Some people do not associate curettage with anything. However, those who have gum problems or even tooth instability know exactly what’s going on. Curettage of the gingival pockets is a procedure that patients suffering from gingivitis undergo in situations where the removal of tartar alone does not give the expected results. If you have gum trouble, read what open curettage and closed curettage are, maybe that’s the way to go.
Dentistry is a broad field that also covers a huge area of periodontitis. Curettage – treatments aimed at shallowing the gingival pockets so as to prevent excessive tartar build-up – are an effective dental procedure that prevents the loosening of the teeth, which often leads to their loss. Unfortunately, these treatments are not painless, so they are performed under local anesthesia.
The procedure itself involves the removal of inflamed tissues and the so-called bacterial biofilm that remain in the gingival pocket. To do this, special tools called kiretami. Before the procedure, the entire tooth root must be thoroughly cleaned of tartar and plaque. Thanks to this, places prone to stone deposition are eliminated. After such thorough cleaning of the gingival pockets, inflammation subsides, and the cleaned space heals and a new, unchanged epithelium appears there. However, it must be emphasized that if – and certainly is the case – fragments of the gum structure have been lost in the disease process, unfortunately it will not rebuild, its deficiencies will remain visible, but the disease process is usually stopped.
Curettage – types of runaways
The first kind are called closed curettage. These are procedures performed when the depth of the gingival pockets does not exceed 5 mm. The entire procedure consisting in cleaning the pockets is performed by the doctor using local anesthesia. In this case, there is no need to incision the gum and detach the mucous flap.
In turn, open curettage is performed when the size of the gingival pockets exceeds 5 mm. These are much more serious surgical procedures, because the doctor has to incision the gum and prepare the gingival flap in such a way that not only the root surface is exposed, but also the deeper tissues. Then, the inflamed tissues and the entire root surface are cleaned, and then the retracted gingival flap is put in place and the wound is carefully sutured.
Curettage – postoperative period
This is a difficult time for many patients. There is nothing to cheat. Curettage it is a major interference in the gingival tissue. It is a dental surgery procedure that results in severe tissue damage. Throughout the postoperative period, patients may experience slight bleeding from previously treated areas. The gums are usually very painful and tender, which is why it is often impossible to cope without painkillers. Swelling and different discoloration of the gums appear very often. Unfortunately, teeth hypersensitivity may also appear, so eating cold and warm food or drinks may be at least troublesome.
Due to such a large interference with the living tissue, regardless of the type of the conducted curettage, patients must follow their doctor’s instructions. This is primarily about the meticulous use of antibiotics, because most often the doctor prescribes them in order to protect the patient against the development of any inflammatory conditions.
Each patient must maintain the highest level of oral hygiene. You should stock up on and use a soft toothbrush, or even purchase a special toothbrush from a pharmacy for people after oral surgery. The method of brushing is also extremely important, because initially this activity must be limited only to the tooth crowns.
During the recovery period, the various mouth rinses they contain are extremely useful chlorhexidine. It is a very strong bactericidal and bacteriostatic chemical, but it should not be used for more than two weeks.
In the initial period after the procedure, you should also take care of proper diet. It is best to eat semi-liquid or very soft food. Do not eat hot dishes. During the first two or three days, you must not drink alcohol or smoke. It should also be remembered that if it was carried out open curettageafter about 10 days, you should see a doctor to remove the stitches. Each patient must also know that periodontal diseases are considered chronic diseases. Therefore, you should visit your dentist regularly and remove plaque, otherwise pain and suffering caused by invasive procedures such as curettage, they will simply be wasted and the results of the treatment will be wasted.
Both open curettageAnd closedare treatments that are not cheap. So it’s worth trying to keep your teeth and gums in the best possible condition every day.