Potential Dental Treatments For Mastocytosis Symptoms

Mastocytosis is a group of rare conditions caused by excess mast cells, which help maintain the immune system and healing ability. Mast cells are found throughout the body, but the primary symptoms of the condition mimic a severe allergic reaction with skin hives and anaphylactic shock. But mastocytosis can also cause different dental problems that make it important to inform your dentist as soon as you receive a diagnosis.

Here are a few of the potential dental treatments for mastocytosis symptoms.

Periodontal Treatments

The allergic reaction response caused by mastocytosis can promote infection in the soft gum tissue. The infection can lead to full blown periodontal disease, which threatens to erode the gums, jawbone, and teeth in the affected area.

Your dentist might work in conjunction with your general practitioner to develop an antibiotic regimen that's safe for your mastocytosis but will still work to rid your mouth of the periodontal infection. The dentist will also conduct thorough cleanings to ensure that any surface bacteria is removed to minimize the chances of infection recurrence. 

If your periodontal disease has become advanced, the gums can pull away from the teeth to form pockets. The dentist can clean those pockets and allow small pockets to heal over time back toward the teeth. Larger pockets might need to be stitched around the tooth. The dentist might need to cut the pockets to make the tightening possible.

Root Canal

If the infection has spread inside the tooth, a root canal procedure might be required. The interior of the tooth contains a long canal that exits through the roots at the bottom of the tooth. This interior is filled with pulp material made up of nerves, blood cells, and tissue. Healthy pulp is vital to the continued health of the tooth.

During a root canal, the dentist opens the top of your tooth to access, clean, and cement shut the root canal. An artificial tooth crown is then bonded on the top to serve as a cap. If the infection recurs, your dentist might need to go through the gums to access the apex of the root. Removing the apex and sealing that route shut can prevent infection from traveling up into the root canal.

Bone Graft and Dental Replacement

The poor immune response and healing ability with mastocytosis can lead to jawbone degradation. Weakened jawbone can cause the attached natural teeth to become loose or fall out entirely. It's important for your dentist to fix weakened jawbone even if the tooth has fallen out already.

A bone graft can build up a weakened area. The dentist will take the bone from the roof of your mouth and splice it into the weakened section. After a healing period, the new and old segments of bone will fuse together. The bone is then strong enough for a sturdy dental replacement option such as a dental implant.