Non-Surgical Gum Treatment:

Periodontal disease is an infection of the teeth, gums and the bone that surrounds the teeth, and it's the leading cause of adult tooth loss. Stopping this condition begins with a thorough diagnosis. The main cause of periodontal disease is the accumulation of plaque, a sticky film of food and bacteria that forms constantly on your teeth. The bacteria in plaque invades the spaces between the teeth and gums and begins producing toxins. These toxins combined with your body's reaction to them, destroys the bone around your teeth. Once bone has been lost, it never grows back on its own. Loss of bone can lead to loss of teeth.

Symptoms of periodontal disease include:

Scaling and Root Planing:

The goal of scaling and root planing is to eliminate the source of periodontal infection by removing the plaque, tartar and bacterial toxins from the root surfaces below the gum line. When you have active periodontal disease, routine cleanings are not enough because they usually remove plaque and tartar from above the gum line only. We use special instruments to carefully and meticulously remove the plaque and tartar from around and beneath the gum line and then smooth the root surfaces. This eliminates the source of the infection and helps your gums heal. As they heal, the gums will tighten around the teeth. You may schedule your scaling and root planing over several appointments. This way we can promote your comfort, check the healing and help you fine tune your home care efforts.

Ultrasonic Scaling:

Ultrasonic scaling is one of the most effective procedures for treating periodontal disease. An ultrasonic scaler consists of a wand with a small scaling tip that produces a soft ultrasonic vibration. The small, quick vibrations in combination with a gentle water flow thoroughly remove tartar while decreasing the number of destructive bacteria beneath the gum line. Removing tartar and bacteria are crucial to preventing periodontal disease.

Ultrasonic scaling has many benefits over hand scaling alone:

Medications:

We also prescribe an antibiotic or anti microbial agent in conjunction with scaling and root planing in the treatment of your periodontal disease. Your dentist will give you more information about these types of treatment options. Be aware that no medication is a cure for periodontal disease. Once bone is lost, no medication can bring it back. You will still need to be very thorough with your daily oral hygiene at home and see us regularly for exams and professional cleanings.