Periodontics/Gum Treatment

Periodontal Disease (Gum Disease) is the infection of the gums and bones that support your teeth. It is caused by different colonies of bacteria due to the accumulation of plaque and tartar on the tooth surfaces. Healthy gum tissue fits tightly around the teeth, with very shallow pockets between the gums and teeth.

The build-up of bacteria under the gums causes the gums to pull away from the teeth and leads to deeper gum pockets. You may not even be aware you have a problem because periodontal disease is often silent. Some symptoms of periodontal disease include: bleeding or swollen gums, bad breath that doesn’t go away and/or loose teeth. Periodontal problems have been linked to heart disease, respiratory disease, kidney disease and others, because of the presence of infection that can enter your blood stream. Untreated periodontal disease can eventually lead to tooth loss.

Treatment of gum disease varies depending on the severity of the individual case. If your case is in the early stages, often returning for more frequent dental hygiene cleanings and improving your home care may be enough to halt the progression of the disease. Another treatment called scaling and root planing (also known as a deep cleaning or non-surgical gum treatment) may be recommended to you. During this procedure, plaque and tartar are carefully removed from below the gum line to eradicate the infection. If you have a more advanced case, you may need surgical gum treatment. We have a very skilled in-house periodontist to perform these more advanced types of procedures.

Other periodontal treatments performed at office include gum grafting, bone grafting, sinus lifts and dental implants. We encourage you to contact our office with any questions or concerns you may have regarding the available gum treatments.