How Are Dental Furcations Cleaned?
by Harold Coleman
Regular dental cleanings are an important preventative measure against periodontitis, a serious gum infection that can damage gum tissue, teeth, and underlying bone structures. One indicator of a gum infection is a furcation defect. A furcation is the areas of the tooth where the crown branches into tooth roots. For example, molars often have two or three roots, so they have a bifurcation or trifurcation. Plaque that has migrated towards the furcation can exacerbate gum disease symptoms and cause defects like bone loss in the area. Read on to see how these issues are identified and how your dentist can clean furcations to prevent further issues.
How Are They Identified?
During your regular dental cleaning appointments, your dentist or hygienist may conduct a comprehensive periodontal evaluation (CPE). During this exam, he or she will look at your teeth, gums, bite and bone structure. He or she may also use a periodontal probe to measure the pockets, or grooves between your gum and teeth. Gum pockets that are deeper than 4 mm could indicate periodontal disease and/or furcation defects.
Your dentist may use a special curved probe to examine the contours of your furcations. An early furcation defect may just feel like a groove to the probe, but moderate to severe defects can be probed horizontally, which indicates bone loss. Since furcations sit below the gumline, your dentist will also need to take x-rays to confirm the extent of the defect.
How Are Furcations Cleaned?
Furcations cannot be cleaned at your standard dental check-up. Your dentist will need to set up a deep clean appointment or refer you to a periodontist for scaling and root planing. During scaling and root planing, a dentist uses handheld instruments, as well as ultrasonic instruments, to carefully remove plaque from tooth roots. Some people may be worried about a deep clean because of pain, but your dentist will administer a local anesthetic so that the procedure is comfortable.
If there is a lot of tartar around the furcation, your dentist might opt for a minor flap surgery during cleaning. During flap surgery, your dentist will make a small incision to shift gum tissue so that he or she can get a better visual of the furcation and the rest of the tooth root. Once he or she has cleaned the area, gum flaps are sutured or glued back in place. Because deep cleaning usually takes a little longer than a regular cleaning, your dentist might have you come in for two or three more appointments to remove all of the tartar deposits.
Once the furcations are cleaned, you can prevent future issues by maintaining a good oral hygiene routine of brushing and flossing. Your dentist will also want to monitor the furcations to make sure that the bone loss doesn't spread; otherwise, you may need to undergo gum/bone grafting to repair the defects.
Reach out to a dentist today to learn more about dental cleaning appointments.
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About Me
I have never liked my teeth. I had a lot of dental problems, including deep staining and oddly shaped teeth. Every tooth did not have the same shape, and some were rounded while others were more square. Not surprisingly, I never smiled in pictures and not even much in real life. This left people thinking I was mean before they even met me. My dentist told me my best bet to improve the look of my smile was a set of porcelain dental veneers. He said they could make all my teeth white and the same shape. I said I wanted them without any hesitation, and we scheduled my procedures. I love my new teeth, and they really did change my life. I created this blog to help other people living with teeth they don't like realize that they do have options that can improve their smiles and their lives.