Periodontal Treatment

If dental plaque is allowed to build up beneath your gumline your gums and teeth may eventually separate, causing deep pockets to form between them. During scaling, we clear away all of that plaque buildup. The second but equally critical component of this treatment, root planing, is when we smooth down your root enamel to eliminate the small crevices in which bacteria is likely to form. Following this treatment, your gums will be able to reattach to your teeth.

While we can’t cure periodontal disease, we can keep it under control with periodontal maintenance. After you have gum disease treatment, we’ll ask you to return to our office for continuing periodontal maintenance approximately three or four times per year. During these visits, we can do more scaling and root planing, i.e., deep cleaning, which will destroy any bacteria that might have accumulated under your gums since your previous treatment.

When your gums recede, your teeth lose a vital protective barrier that can cause them to become sensitive and eventually fall out. The uneven appearance of your gums also compromises your smile esthetics. Our team can reverse the effects of gum recession through gum grafting. This is where we take a small portion of soft tissue from your mouth and place it over the recessed areas. Your gums will gradually regain their natural volume and shape. To aid in your healing, we use a natural tissue membrane between your gums and jawbone. Guided tissue regeneration is a revolutionary but natural way to regain strong teeth, gums, and bones.

Not all of our gum treatments address health issues. You may also have esthetic concerns with your gums. If you sometimes think your gums are too long, you have what’s called a “gummy smile.” While not detrimental, this can make you feel self-conscious. Our cosmetic dentists can rebalance your smile with crown lengthening. By removing small portions of gum tissue, we make your gums appear smaller and teeth larger, improving your tooth-to-gum ratio.