PROCEDURES

Your First Periodontal Consultation

1. Your first visit is a detailed clinical examination and treatment plan discussion, where several options and scenarios will be presented. You will have the opportunity to discuss any specific concerns that you may have.
2. There will be a comprehensive assessment of your gum tissues, jaw structure, and general dental issues. The problem areas are investigated and discussed in relation to the rest of your mouth. If needed, 2-Dimentional or more complex 3-Dimensional xrays can be taken during this appointment to help identify any hidden problems.
3. Your medical status will be taken into account before recommending any particular treatments.
   • Some important medical conditions and associated medications and can affect the gum and bone tissues, such as osteoporosis and diabetes.
4. A complete periodontal examination utilises a small blunt probe to record and measure inflammation. This is placed between the teeth and gums to determine the location and severity of ‘pockets’ which are the key characteristic of periodontitis.
5. Other factors to assess include the extent of gum recession, teeth mobility and amount of bone loss.
6. When seeing Dr Jeremy Vo, patients can complete the examination with minimal discomfort.
7. Once the examination process is fully completed, a detailed consultation will then involve discussing with you why periodontitis developed in your gums and therefore look at ways to prevent future relapse. Different treatment strategies will then be discussed.
8. If you have missing teeth, or are about to lose teeth, then the replacement options will also be discussed prior to removing any teeth. Dental implants are possible even for patients with a history of gum disease provided it is done in the correct way.