Yes I know it is progressive. I was told by my Periodontist that it was under control and that braces would help move the teeth back that had shifted. Yes I was diligent about cleanings, I have always had regular cleanings before and during the perio problems,
Good, regular cleanings are very important for long term success.
I never had tartar buildup that usually causes this
Supragingival plaque usually leads to gingivitis. It is when the plaque gets subgingival into the sulcus and creates pocketing that you you cannot reliably clean that causes the disease to progress into PD.
the periodontist said it is the bacteria that caused my problem, even with all the cleanings and home care, it was not controllable, during the braces I went every 3 months, then my perio's office told me that they don't need to be doing my cleanings and I should go to my general dentists, went there and got a horrible cleaning, they were afraid to touch me, let alone give me a good cleaning, so went back to the perio for my cleanings.
You need to be your own patient advocate. If you are getting the run around then stand up for yourself (which it sounds like you are doing). Your GP did the right thing to refer you back to a specialist if s/he was uncomfortable in offering proper care. The GP does not have the same specialty training and experience that your Perio should have, I would put the pressure on them.
All the time I have been in braces my periodontist has not retaken x-rays to see how the bones are doing. NO I was never pregnant while in braces, I had my last child at 27, I am now 40, got braces put on at 37.
Pregnancy causes your hormones to go nuts (that is a technical term
) which can lead to an increase in bacteria growth in the oral cavity. Plus most clinicians are a bit more cautious during pregnancy.
The strangest thing is this last periodontist that I saw last week pointed out that the bone was well below where my original periodontist said it was, there are two different shades of gray on the x-ray. Could he have been wrong all along about the severity of the bone loss?
It is possible that some of the radiographs were angulated incorrectly giving the impression that your bone level was different. It is hard to guess what different lucencies are in an x-ray without seeing it.
All I know is that the teeth are going to fall out, and no one will seem to help me. I am making more calls this week to see if I can find another group that will help me. I am not blameing any dentists for my condition, but I feel that the care I have received has been innapropriate for my condition, and hopefully others in the same situation will get all the facts before a dentist offers treatments that may do more harm than good, as has happened in my case.
Jackie
Don't be so certain that your teeth are going to fall out. I see a few people have suggested implants. If you have severe bone loss and a bacteria problem then you are not likely a good candidate for implants. But there will be options. Whether it is implants, or using some of your teeth for abutments of an overdenture (or partial) or splinting or.....my point is there are clinical options to preserve and move forward. It will depend on how much time and money you are willing to invest into maintaining what you have. One of my favorite patients was diagnosed with PD in her early 40's. Long story short is that she turned things around and has very good home care these days. 30 years later and she still has all of her teeth. Yes she has some mobility and leftover byproducts of PD, but she has overcome and controlled the disease.
Also, take a look at what medications you take or may have taken and your familial history. Anything that may have caused a chemical imbalance? Did your Perio mention anything about a Cariogram to determine the bacteria types present in your mouth? Do you suffer from dry mouth? If you let me know what part of the country you are in I can take a look and see if I can find any research or specific specialists in your area that may be able to help. Good luck in achieving a good solution.
Best,
Rory
