Periodontal Therapy

Non-Surgical Therapy

Many times, the early stages of periodontal disease are best treated with non-surgical periodontal therapy. This usually consists of good oral hygiene training, scaling and root planing and antibiotic therapy. Scaling and root planing is done under local anesthesia and involves the use of special instruments which go beneath the gum line to effectively remove calculus, debris and diseased root surface. These procedures are performed by our hygiene team of dental professionals. Four to six weeks or later, the areas are reevaluated for changes such as decreased bleeding, tissue swelling, probing scores and whether there has been any reattachement of the tissues to the tooth.

In some cases, the occlusion (bite) may require adjustment.

Even in the most severe cases of periodontal disease, non-surgical periodontal therapy often precedes surgical therapy. This is done so that the overall tissue quality is improved prior to surgery and also limits the areas of required surgery.

When deep pockets between teeth and gums are present, it is difficult for you as a patient to thoroughly remove plaque and tarter. Patients can seldom, if ever, keep these pockets clean and free of plaque. Consequently, surgery may be needed to restore periodontal health if non-surgical treatments are not entirely effective.

Antibiotics may be recommended to help control the growth of bacteria that create toxins and cause periodontitis. In some cases, our doctors may place antibiotics locally in the periodontal pockets after scaling. This may be done to control infection and to encourage normal healing.