ARESTIN®

We all know how severe tooth decay can be, but periodontitis has a more unpleasant reputation. It is the main reason why people lose their teeth in California. When combined with routine visits to the dentist, proper dental hygiene habits give a powerful defense against gum disease and gingivitis.

But what if you already have periodontal disease? What will you do to cure it? Most periodontists or dentists recommend a treatment method called scaling & root planing (SRP). Whereas SRP has been used in treating periodontitis for several years, the latest clinical studies show that the added use of the antibiotic ARESTIN provides more efficient results that a scaling & root planing alone cannot achieve. We at The Downey Dentist not only offer the SRP procedure but also perform treatment with ARESTIN to ensure our patients get completely cured. If you are in Downey, CA, and need treatment for periodontitis, reach out to us, and we won’t disappoint you.

Overview

Periodontitis occurs when bacteria accumulates on your teeth underneath the gums, leading to your gums becoming red & swollen. This condition is referred to as inflammation. Studies have indicated that chronic gum disease isn’t a gradually advancing inflammatory disease. Instead, it’s an infection that’s characterized by impulsive bursts of disease activity in random sites. The sites might show activity from several days to months before being dormant, only to recur again over a specified period. If it’s not treated, periodontitis may lead to the loss or damage of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth, which includes the periodontal ligament, gums, alveolar bone, and cementum forming pockets around your teeth.

Treating chronic periodontal disease presents several challenges. Whereas scaling & root planing is still deemed as the best way to treat the disease, it doesn’t completely get rid of the periodontitis-causing bacteria surrounding the tissues or the ones present in the body. As a result, these bacteria may infect the dental pockets again within sixty days of the SRP. Since gum disease is as a result of specific bacteria, certain antibiotics can eliminate or reduce the infection.

ARESTIN is an antibiotic, which, when administered after scaling & root planing has proven to decrease the depth of periodontal pockets significantly compared to SRP alone. For instance, in clinical research that involved 748 patients with 6-9mm deep periodontal pockets, over 60% of the responding pockets were reduced to 2mm.

ARESTIN Development

ARESTIN comes in the form of powder. It’s a tasteless antibiotic that is put inside the infected periodontal pocket after an SRP process. ARESTIN contains an active ingredient known as minocycline. The minocycline is contained within bread-like particles known as microspheres, which release the medicine for a maximum of twenty-one days after scaling & root planing treatment.

As we mentioned above, an SRP procedure alone might not be 100% successful in eliminating all the bacteria that are associated with periodontitis, particularly the ones that live so deep in periodontal pockets or other areas that are difficult to reach. Therefore, using ARESTIN adds a more element of protection.

Additionally, when ARESTIN is utilized as a part of a maintenance program, it reduces the periodontal pockets size and assists in healing bleeding gums. Bleeding gums is a condition that could arise when a patient’s gums are probed.

Who Qualifies for Treatment With ARESTIN?

While most patients may benefit from using ARESTIN, if you’ve got a known sensitivity to or are allergic to tetracycline or minocycline, you should inform your dentist before receiving the ARESTIN treatment. Expecting mothers, nursing mothers, and children should also avoid using ARESTIN. However, keep in mind that the appropriate way to know whether or not ARESTIN is ideal for you is by talking to your dental professional.

Preparation for Treatment with ARESTIN

Before starting a comprehensive treatment for periodontitis, your dentist should consider taking the following steps:

1. Discuss your medical history. Your dentist should highlight the significant risk factors associated with periodontitis progression, like cardiovascular disease, smoking, diabetes, and age. He/she should also evaluate your medical records and determine whether you qualify for ARESTIN administration.

2. Perform a detailed periodontal evaluation. After checking your medical history, the dentist should then look for signs and symptoms of gum disease like increasing pocket depth, bleeding on probing, and radiographic bone loss. He/she should measure the depth of the periodontal pockets. Note that ARESTIN isn’t pointed out to prevent bleeding on probing or bone loss.

3. Explain the possible outcomes for treatment to you. Your dentist should discuss with you the anticipated results linked to periodontitis treatment and how they are related to your compliance before, during, & after the treatment and active participation.

4. Address the likely concerns related to the treatment. The dentist also has to discuss with you the charges for procedures, insurance coverage, as well as possible discomfort that comes with treatment. If the dentist prescribes ARESTIN through ARESTIN Rx Access, you may be capable of receiving the treatment for as low as $0 copay.

ARESTIN Dosage & Administration Procedure

As earlier mentioned, ARESTIN antibiotic is in dry powder form. It is packaged in unit-dose cartridges that have deformable tips, which are inserted into a spring-loaded cartridge handle to administer the drug. The medication is administered in six simple steps as follows:

Step one: The dentist takes out the non-reusable cartridge from the pouch then connects it to the handle by exerting a little pressure. ARESTIN is available in different doses based on the shape, number, and size of periodontal pockets that are being treated.

Step two: The dentist will then twist the cartridge until you hear and feel that it’s locked into position.

Step three: Should the dentist see the need to manipulate the tip of the cartridge until it reaches the hard-to-reach areas, he/she will bend the cartridge tip gently, leaving the blue cap in position. If the tip is bent after the cap is removed, it may lead to the internal plunger rupturing the wall of the cartridge.

Step four: The dentist will then put the tip of the cartridge in the pocket base, parallel to the tooth’s long axis. The dentist has to ensure that they don’t force the tip into the pocket’s base. Note that local anesthesia is not required.

Step five: The dentist then presses the thumb ring in the handle to squeeze out the ARESTIN powder, at the same time gradually drawing out the tip of the cartridge from the pocket base. Should you experience any form of resistance in the course of delivery, the dentist will withdraw the equipment further.

Step six: After delivery, the dentist will let go of the thumb ring and remove the cartridge using his/her free hand. Then he/she will dispose of the cartridge appropriately and sterilize the handle before reuse. ARESTIN doesn’t need to be removed since it is bioabsorbable, and neither is dressing, nor an adhesive required.

After Care

After ARESTIN has been administered, it will continue fighting infection even after you have left the dental clinic. To get optimal results out of the treatment, make sure you follow the precise post-operation instructions your dentist will provide. Your dentist should explain in detail the self-maintenance and self-care tips you have to follow that will assist you in protecting the treated area. ARESTIN manufacturers also suggest you adhere to these general guidelines:

• Wait for twelve hours after the procedure before you can brush your teeth

• Avoid touching the areas of the gums that your dentist has treated for one week

• Avoid eating crunchy, sticky, or hard foods like caramel, popcorn, taffy, carrots, etc., for one week after the dental treatment

• Wait for ten days before you can use toothpicks, floss, and other devices meant to clean between teeth in the places that were treated with ARESTIN

• Ensure you go back to the dentist for your follow-up appointments because gum disease may reoccur, and gums have to be examined regularly.

• Limit your smoking. We recommend that you consider quitting it entirely

• Drink a lot of water

• Even though you can experience mild to moderate sensitivity during the first week after the SRP procedure and ARESTIN administration, you should inform your dentist immediately if swelling, pain, or any other problem arises

• You should also notify your dentist if swelling, itching, papules, reddening, rash, difficulty in breathing or any other signs of possible hypersensitivity occur

Important Safety Details about ARESTIN

• ARESTIN antibiotic is contraindicated in patients that have an identified sensitivity to tetracycline or minocycline. Hypersensitivity reactions & hypersensitivity syndromes, including but not limited to anaphylactoid reaction, anaphylaxis, eosinophilia, urticaria, rash, angioneurotic edema may manifest. Any single or more of the following might also be present: pneumonitis, hepatitis, myocarditis, nephritis, and pericarditis. Pruritus, face swelling, lymphadenopathy, and fever have been reported to occur after ARESTIN use. A few of these reactions are severe. Post-marketing instances of anaphylaxis, acute photosensitivity reactions, and severe skin reactions like erythema multiforme & Stevens-Johnson disorder have been recorded with the use of oral minocycline.

• Using medication of the tetracycline category during the stage of tooth development can cause permanent teeth discoloration. This is the reason why ARESTIN shouldn’t be used in minors, as we had mentioned before. Nursing and pregnant women should also not use this drug.

• Tetracyclines, which include oral minocycline, have been linked to the progression of autoimmune disorders, including a lupus-like disorder manifested by myalgia, rash, swelling, and arthralgia. Sporadic instances of serum illness-like reactions have been reported shortly after the use of minocycline, manifested by arthralgia, rash, fever, and malaise. In any symptomatic patient, a diagnostic test should be conducted, and treatment with ARESTIN discontinued.

• ARESTIN hasn’t been studied for use in acutely abscessed pockets or regeneration of alveolar bone either in conjunction with or in preparation for the placement of dental implants or the treatment of the failing implants.

• During clinical trials, the non-dental treatment-developing adverse events that were most frequently reported include infection, pain, flu syndrome, and headache.

• The effectiveness and safety of ARESTIN haven’t been established in patients whose immune systems are compromised, for instance, by chemotherapy, radiotherapy, infection with HIV or diabetes, or in the ones that have coexistent oral candidiasis. You should use ARESTIN with maximum caution if there’s a predisposition to oral candidiasis.

Advantages of Using ARESTIN for Dental Practices and Patients

Treatment with ARESTIN has several benefits. They include:

No compliance problems— One of the most significant benefits of the locally administered therapeutics is there aren’t any compliance problems as it is with oral drugs because patients don’t have to be reminded to take the medication

Site-specific without bacterial resistance problems— your dentist can place ARESTIN adjacent to the periodontium, which leaves other body parts unaffected. Research has revealed that if a patient is treated with ARESTIN, the normal intestinal flora won’t be disrupted and it doesn’t result in an increase in antibiotic resistance or overgrowth of foreign pathogens

Regain the appropriate balance— also, ARESTIN microspheres discharge curative doses of the RESTIN drug directly to the infected area, eliminating bacteria for over twenty-one days longer compared to any other presently available antibiotics that are administered locally. When the bacterial load is lowered, a patient’s body will then be capable of regaining balance within the periodontal pockets and decrease the clinical symptoms of gum disease. During dental re-care, the dental professional will notice alleviation in these symptoms and, if there are any refractory sites, the dentist can treat them during that appointment.

Easy, painless, fast, and does not cause any discomfort— ARESTIN provides a simple, fast, and effective option of treatment for the periodontal disease without needing local anesthesia. The microspheres are absorbable. They stick to the surfaces of the periodontal pockets upon coming into contact with the crevicular fluid and don’t require dental adhesives or dressings. The dentist can treat a maximum of thirty sites in less than ten minutes using the simple unit-dose delivery method.

Patients that undergo treatment with ARESTIN experience very few side effects— during clinical studies, minimal side effects were reported. The ones recorded were the same as those experienced in the placebo group. ARESTIN doesn’t change taste buds; neither does it lead to stomach upset, or teeth staining.

Other benefits include:

• ARESTIN doesn’t require stitches or bandages

• It is bioresorbable and bioadhesive, meaning it won’t fall out or leak, and it doesn’t leave anything for the dentist to remove in a checkup visit

• ARESTIN does not require local anesthesia since the administration is comfortable

• Treating periodontitis with SRP plus ARESTIN can help you in keeping gum pockets below the threshold for surgical intervention

How Long Does the Treatment ARESTIN Take?

During clinical trials, dental professionals were capable of treating thirty periodontal pockets on average in less than ten minutes, translating to three pockets in a minute. The treatment period with ARESTIN is dependent on the number and location of the periodontal pockets. However, in general, the process is fast, simple, and comfortable.

The Cost of ARESTIN Treatment

ARESTIN treatment cost varies based on your treatment needs. After your dental profession has assessed your dental health and discussed the options of treatment you have, he/she can give you an estimate of the amount you have to pay. Note that treating the periodontal disease at early stages in the present day is less expensive and best for your oral health instead of waiting to treat symptoms when it is at a more progressive stage.

What a Dentist Can Do to Help Their Patients Understand the Consequences of Not Treating Periodontitis

As a dentist, you can assist patients in understanding the possible oral health repercussions of failing to adequately treat their gum disease and make them agree to undergo treatment. Several factors contribute to a patient’s acceptance of the treatment plan recommended by their dental health professional. They include:

• The use of direct language is highly motivating. About 73% of periodontitis patients surveyed agreed to visit the dentist immediately

• Many patients are motivated to agree to the recommended treatment when periodontitis is explained as a chronic bacterial infection that could result in other symptoms like tooth loss. Keep in mind that ARESTIN isn’t indicated to prevent tooth loss

• Allowing sufficient time to continue with conversations after conducting the examination helps in understanding the whole process

• The urgency with which you deliver the treatment recommendation is an essential factor in the acceptance of treatment

Find a Periodontal Disease Dentist Near Me

Periodontal disease can cause significant pain and discomfort if it’s left untreated. Additionally, it will also lower your confidence due to bad breath. The good news is that if you have this disease, all is not lost because there’s a cure. You should talk to a dentist as soon as you start experiencing related symptoms so the dentist can check. We at The Downey Dentist offer treatment for periodontitis, including the administration of ARESTIN to residents of Downey and the surrounding areas. Even though scaling & root planing is used to treat gum disease, it is not as effective as when ARESTIN is also used. This is all the more reason you should be treated with ARESTIN. Contact us at 562-746-350 and let us take good care of your gums. Remember that treating gum disease today could help you keep your teeth tomorrow.