Periodontal (Gum) Disease Treatment – Rockwall, TX
Saving Your Smile from Advanced Gum Disease
When plaque isn’t removed from your teeth by brushing, flossing, and regular cleanings, it continues to grow until a bacterial infection, called periodontal disease, has developed. Also known as gum disease, periodontal disease damages the gums and bone that support the teeth. Without treatment, it could even cause tooth loss! Dr. Mary Courtin wants to prevent gum disease from reaching that point. If you’re experiencing bleeding, swollen, or tender gums, call Courtin Dental today to schedule swift, effective gum disease treatment!
Why Choose Courtin Dental for Periodontal (Gum) Disease Treatment?
- Brand-New Dental Office Equipped with Leading-Edge Technology
- Dentist with Advanced Experience in Oral Surgery
- Multiple Options for Dental Sedation
Scaling & Root Planing
The standard for treating advanced gum disease is called scaling and root planing. First comes scaling, where we break down built-up plaque along and below the gumline – areas where your toothbrush and floss cannot reach. Root planing involves smoothing out the rough surfaces in your teeth’s roots, making it easier for them to reattach to your gums and harder for bacteria to gather there moving forward.
Antibiotic Therapy
Our goal is to minimize the chances of reinfection, which is why we’ll typically supplement scaling and root planing with antibiotic therapy. This treatment entails the application of a topical medicine, such as Arestin antibiotics or PerioChip, directly to the gum pockets that have formed as a result of the infection. The medicine gradually disperses across the gum tissue, eliminating bacteria in the deepest parts of the gums that even our advanced instruments cannot access.
Periodontal Surgical Treatments
If periodontal disease has progressed to the point where scaling and root planing and antibiotic therapy are ineffective, then surgery may be the ideal solution. One option is gum grafting, which involves removing a small amount of skin from the roof of your mouth and placing it over a tooth root that has been exposed by gum recession. For extremely deep pockets between the gums and teeth, we may need to surgically fold back the gum tissue and smooth damaged areas of the bone or perform bone grafts or other regenerative treatments.
