Periodontal Treatments

How is gum disease treated?

If you’ve been diagnosed with gum disease, there are a variety of treatment options, depending on the details of your situation and the severity of the problem. We always start with the least invasive options, which are non-surgical. However, in more serious cases, surgery may be necessary.

What are my non-surgical treatment options for gum disease?

The first line of defense against gum disease is a unique type of cleaning called “scaling and root planing.” In this procedure, instruments are used to remove plaque and tartar from under the gum.  This process removes bacteria, debris, and diseased tissue which in turn provides healthier periodontal pocket, a smooth root surface (root planing), which allows the gum tissue to reattach to the tooth at a healthier level.

If you address your gum disease before it becomes severe, scaling and root planing may be the only treatment you need. However, as with any dental procedure, after-care is vital.

In order to preserve optimal oral health and resist future occurrences of gum disease, you must maintain a daily home care routine which can be modified  upon recommendations from our hygienists. An example of a daily routine may include, brushing and flossing daily, a healthy diet, avoiding tobacco use, and can include vitamin supplements if needed. Regular dental checkups are crucial for maintenance; even after a successful treatment of scaling and root planing, without regular cleanings and check ups, it is quite likely you will develop gum disease again.

What are the surgical treatment options for gum disease?

If the tissue or bone surrounding your teeth is too damaged to be repaired with non-surgical treatment, several surgical procedures are available to prevent severe damage and to restore a healthy smile. This may require intervention with a periodontist.

The following is a list of common types of periodontal surgery:

• Pocket Depth Reduction
  In a healthy mouth, the teeth are firmly surrounded by gum tissue and securely supported by the bones of the jaw. Periodontal disease damages these tissues and bones, leaving open spaces around the teeth that we call pockets. The pockets increase in depth with continued loss of attachment, loss of bone and loss of supporting structures which eventually degrades to the point that the tooth either falls out or needs to be removed.

  During pocket reduction procedures (also known as “flap surgery”), we fold back the gum tissue and remove the bacteria hiding underneath, as well as the hardened plaque and tartar that have collected. We may also remove any tissue that is too damaged to survive. We then sew the healthy tissue back into place. Now that the tooth and root are free of bacteria, plaque, and tartar, and the pockets have been reduced, your gums can reattach to the teeth.

• Regeneration
  When the bone and tissue supporting the teeth have been lost due to severe gum disease, we can restore these areas with a regeneration procedure. During this process, we begin by folding back the gum tissue and removing the bacteria, plaque, and tartar. Depending on your situation, we may then perform a bone graft to stimulate new bone growth, or apply a special kind of protein that stimulates tissue growth to repair the areas that have been destroyed by the disease.

• Soft-Tissue Graft
  A frequent symptom of gum disease is gum recession (also called gingival recession). As the gums recede, more of the roots are revealed. This can make teeth appear longer and can also create sensitivity to hot or cold liquids or food. This area ideally should be covered with gum, but because it is not and much weaker than enamel, and essentially porous, it is more suseptible to cavities and loss of structure.

  During a soft-tissue graft, tissue from the top of your mouth or another source is sewed to the gum area, to cover the roots and restore the gum line to its original, healthy location. This procedure can also be performed for cosmetic reasons.

Arestin is a topical antibiotic for gum disease that treats the bacteria that cause periodontal disease in the first place. Along with scaling and root planing treatment, Arestin can assist in preventing your periodontal disease from getting worse and allow you to have a healthy mouth for years to come.

Arestin is a powder composed of hundreds of thousands of tiny microspheres that release antibiotics over time. After a deep periodontal cleaning, scaling, and root planing, your hygienist will add Arestin to the pocket between your gum and tooth. Completely painless, the Arestin powder will dissolve on its own but will continue working long after your visit is over.