Periodontal Treatments

Periodontal Maintenance

A 3-4 month Therapy Appointment is a SoftTissue Management Program that is a non-surgical approach to control Periodontal Disease. It is the most conservative approach to prevent more extensive and aggressive treatment.

Debridement

A full mouth debridement is often necessary to complete a proper evaluation and subsequent
cleaning. The American Dental Association describes a full mouth debridement as the “gross removal of plaque and calculus that interfere with the ability of the dentist to perform a comprehensive oral evaluation.”

Scaling and Root Planning

Scaling and root planning is a deep cleaning below the gumline used to treat gum disease.

Why do I need it?

Gum disease is caused by a sticky film of bacteria called plaque. Plaque is always forming on your teeth, but if they aren’t cleaned well, the bacteria in plaque can cause your gums to become inflamed. When this happens your gums will pull away from your teeth and form spaces called pockets. Plaque then gets trapped in these pockets and cannot be removed with regular brushing. If untreated, gum disease could lead to bone and tooth loss!

If gum disease is caught early and hasn’t damaged the structures below the gum line, a professional cleaning should do. If the pockets between your gums and teeth are too deep, however, scaling and root planning may be needed.