Periodontal Disease is a disease of the gums and the bone, whereas tooth decay is another dental disease. Periodontal Disease affects both the stability of the teeth, as well as the health of the gums. Periodontal infection happens when the gums get inflamed, and the bacteria get caught underneath the gums and start eating away at the bone itself, causing the teeth to be loose. Treatment includes both surgical removal of the gums and non-surgical periodontal therapy.   

Non-surgical periodontal therapy is the way we treat Periodontal Disease in our practice. Most patients with Periodontal Disease should start with the minimally invasive nature of non-surgical periodontal therapy, where the dentist and Hygienist will anesthetize the area using local anesthetic. They will clean and debride both underneath the gums and all the way to the bone level to treat all the bacteria. They use antibiotic treatments locally, placing antibiotics in the periodontal pockets, allowing the gums to become healthy again. The non-surgical nature of this periodontal therapy allows for faster healing, which is an easier procedure for the patient with no recovery time. By using antibiotics and sometimes employing dental lasers to debride and clean the area have really great results in treating this disease without scalpels and stitches.   

Once we parse your insurance, look in your mouth, and do x-rays, we can say what you need and calculate the price. But it’s only an estimate at that point, because as we proceed, we may encounter any number of unforeseen complications, such as the need for bone grafts.  

Symptoms of Periodontal Disease include a foul odor from your mouth (bad breath/halitosis), bleeding gums when you brush your teeth, and sore, red gums; although pain is not an indication, Periodontal Disease is a painless disease.   

If you notice buildup of plaque or calculus around the teeth, you may have periodontal Disease. One of the hardest things from a patient’s perspective to be able to recognize Periodontal Disease is that it is a completely painless disease. Unlike many conditions in the mouth, when you have loose teeth, even if they’re not painful, is a sign of gum disease. 

It’s all done in one visit. The non-surgical period therapy can be performed in as little as one visit. A re-evaluation is recommended to assess the success of the procedure and to recommend long-term care, which is required. Periodontal Disease, once diagnosed, is a chronic disease and the goal with gum disease is to keep it at bay and not have it progress. So constant attention by both the patient following the doctors and hygienists’ recommendations and the dentist and hygienist doing the work that they need to do in the office- that partnership is important in managing gum disease.   

Periodontal Disease is a reversible process, but it is not entirely curable. So, much like other chronic illnesses in the body, it needs to be managed by a professional and also by the patient with good home care. Following our recommendations, the goal of periodontal treatment, from our perspective, is to maintain the health of the current level of the gum and bones in a healthy state, the gum and bone in a healthy state so that there is no progression of the Disease. Catching Periodontal Disease early is critical in achieving a lifetime of success with the health of your mouth and teeth.