How Does a Periodontist Treat Gum Disease?
When it comes to treating gum disease, periodontists are the experts. After completing dental school, periodontists go on to receive 2–3 years of additional training and education focusing on the gums and supporting structures of the teeth. With prompt treatment from a skilled professional, your periodontitis can be reversed before it causes any permanent damage to your oral health. So how does a periodontist treat gum disease? Read on to find out.
Scaling and Root Planing
Once you’ve been diagnosed with periodontitis, we will determine the best course of treatment. For many patients, scaling and root planing is the first line of defense against gum disease. This non-surgical procedure has two steps: first, a dental instrument called a scaler is used to remove plaque and calculus from below the gum line. Next, the root of the tooth is planed, or smoothed. This encourages the gums to heal and reattach to the root, eliminating the periodontal pockets where plaque and bacteria collect.
Scaling and root planing is a simple procedure, but it’s also highly effective. When performed in the early stages of periodontitis, it can reverse the disease.
LANAP Laser Periodontal Surgery
Sometimes surgical treatment is needed for gum disease. We offer the LANAP procedure, which uses a specialized laser to remove bacteria from periodontal pockets. This eliminates the need for more invasive techniques and sutures.
LANAP laser periodontal surgery involves cleaning out the infected areas, removing diseased tissue, and disinfecting the periodontal pockets. The laser also seals the pocket to prevent reinfection. Because soft tissue lasers like LANAP cause less bleeding and pain, patients much prefer this technique to traditional periodontal surgery. Healing time is also shorter with LANAP.
Periodontal Maintenance
Once your gum disease is treated, you will need to take steps to keep your gums healthy in the long-term. We’ll put together a customized periodontal maintenance program for you based on your periodontal health and how quickly you develop calculus. This program includes both home care strategies as well as regular visits to see us for oral examinations and dental cleanings.
Other Periodontal Procedures for Gum Disease
Our goal is always to treat gum disease before it causes permanent damage to your teeth and gums, but if you have advanced gum disease, you may have suffered gum recession, tooth loss, or jawbone loss as a result. We provide a number of treatment options to address these issues and restore the health and appearance of your smile.
Gum grafting and the Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique can repair areas of gum tissue that were lost due to recession. If you’ve lost teeth as a result of gum disease, dental implants are the best option available to replace them. Bone regeneration, bone grafting, and ridge preservation are all techniques that rebuild the jawbone, which may be weakened after periodontal disease and tooth loss.
Learn More About Gum Disease Treatment
If you have gum disease, it’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible. Call us today at or book an appointment online.
