There are a variety of treatments available for periodontal disease such as scaling and root planing, oral medications, and laser gum surgery.
Laser Gum Surgery
Advances in laser technology have opened an entirely new approach to treating periodontal disease and performing gum surgery. Dr. Reese has been utilizing a Waterlase MD laser for tooth preparation and gingival treatments. Due to the nature of how lasers work, Dr. Reese is able to treat the diseased tissue, while leaving the healthy tissue intact. Read more about how laser gum surgery can help you control your periodontal disease.
Scaling and Root Planing
A non-surgical treatment for periodontal disease includes “scaling and root planing”. This is a common technique which uses special instruments to remove bacteria and infection from the unhealthy areas around the teeth and below the gum line. This sometimes referred to as a “deep cleaning” and can be done during an extended oral hygiene visit.
Recent advances in the treatment of periodontal disease allow us to apply medications directly at the site of infection. These medications are often used in conjunction with scaling and root planing. In addition, an antimicrobial rinse is sometimes used after some procedures. Some medications fight periodontal infection by boosting your body’s immune response to bacteria that cause periodontal disease. For advanced cases of periodontal disease, an oral DNA test can be used to determine a more specific medication.
—Dr. Ted Reese
Periodontal surgery may involve several different types of procedures but the results are aimed to eliminate the infection and loss of supporting gum and bone loss around teeth.
Various types of periodontal surgery involve:
- Gum tissue grafting to cover exposed root surfaces
- Gum tissue recontouring to eliminate diseased tissue
- Bone tissue recontouring to gain healthy and maintainable bone support of teeth.
- Surgical access to clean and debride the diseased teeth roots and gum/bone tissue.