Services

Gum Therapy

For some patients who suffer from gum disease, scaling and root planing is all that is needed to treat the issue. Surgery is needed, however, when the gum tissue around the teeth cannot be repaired with non-surgical options.

Surgical Treatments for Gum Disease

Surgical gum treatment includes procedures like flap surgery, where the gums are lifted back and the tartar is removed. In some cases, irregular surfaces of the damaged bone are smoothed to limit areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide. The gum tissue is then fit snugly around the tooth. This method reduces the space between the gum and tooth, thereby decreasing the area where harmful bacteria.

Another procedure is Soft tissue grafting. This procedure reinforces thin gums or fills in places where gums have receded. Grafted tissue, most often taken from the roof of the mouth, is stitched in place, adding tissue to the affected area.

Non-surgical Treatments for Gum Disease

Nonsurgical gum disease treatment involves professional dental cleaning as well as scaling. This deep-cleaning done under a local anesthetic, where plaque and tartar is scraped away (scaling) from above and below the gum line and rough spots on the tooth root are made smooth (planing). Smoothing the rough spots removes bacteria and provides a clean surface for the gums to reattach to the teeth. Scaling and root planing is done if you have plaque and calculus (also called tartar) under the gums that needs to be removed.