How is Periodontal Disease Treated?

Periodontal Therapy

Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that gets under the gums and into the bone around your teeth. This infection must be treated.  There are generally two accepted treatments for this condition depending upon the severity of your infection.

Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy

If caught in the early stages, periodontal disease can be conservatively treated with Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy.  This is also known as "Scaling and Root Planing", "Phase One Treatment" or "Initial Therapy".

This procedure is performed under local anesthesia. Through the use of ultrasonic and specialized hand instrumentation, the bacterial plaque biofilm and its infection-causing toxins are removed from the root surfaces of the teeth. Some of the bacteria are embedded in calcium deposits called calculus or tartar.  These accretions which are firmly attached to the root surfaces have formed over time (like barnacles) and are an irritant to the gum tissue, preventing the healing process.

Once all of the bacteria and calculus is removed, an antibiotic (Arestin) is placed directly into the periodontal pocket.  This antibiotic remains effective for twenty-eight days and stays localized at the site of treatment preventing further bacterial growth, creating conditions optimal for healing.  Non-Surgical Periodontal therapy is quite different from the routine dental cleaning you may have experienced in the past.

Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy
Scaling: The periodontist first removes the upper level of calculus.	Root Planing: Next, he smooths the root so that it will be hard for new calculus to come back.

Surgical Periodontal Therapy

If the periodontal infection has advanced to a degree that has significantly altered the level of bone supporting your teeth, a surgical periodontal procedure is necessary to remove the infection and restore your mouth to health.   We will perform a comprehensive oral evaluation to determine your particular needs and discuss the treatment choices available.

Antibiotic Treatment

Some localized topical antibiotics can enhance your periodontal treatment. In certain isolated circumstances, placement of antibiotic medication can also reduce infection. This antibiotic therapy is always done in conjunction with scaling and deep cleanings. The antibiotic we use for this procedure is called Arestin®.

Procedure: Topical antibiotics, in various forms, are precisely placed in isolated areas to improve healing after the localized area is scaled and deep cleaned. The results are closely monitored during follow-up maintenance visits.