Comprehensive periodontal treatment to maintain healthy gums and prevent gum disease progression.
Gum Therapy (Scaling and Root Planing - SRP) is the most effective way to treat gum disease. During this procedure, your dentist cleans between your gums and teeth down to the root. Your dentist may need to use local anesthetic to numb your gums and the roots of your teeth.
Gum therapy is an important treatment if you have gum (periodontal) disease.
Gum disease is an infection of the tissues surrounding and supporting your teeth. It is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Because gum disease is usually painless, you may not know you have it.
Gum disease is caused by plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that constantly forms on the teeth. These bacteria create toxins that can damage the gums.
In the early stage of gum disease, called gingivitis, the gums can become red, swollen and bleed easily. At this stage, the disease is still reversible and can usually be eliminated by daily brushing and flossing.
In the more advanced stages of gum disease, called periodontitis, the gums and bone that support the teeth can become seriously damaged. The teeth can become loose, fall out or have to be removed by a dentist.
Scaling and root planing is recommended for patients with stubborn cases of gum disease. Scaling and root planing removes plaque and tartar from your teeth and can help your gums regain health. Scaling is usually done in conjunction with root planing.
Your gums and tooth roots will be numbed with local anesthesia. You should feel very little discomfort during the procedure. Specialized tools are used to remove hardened deposits of plaque buildup (tartar) from your teeth both above and below the gum line.
Root planing smoothes rough spots on the tooth roots where plaque and germs gather. This smoothing of the tooth roots helps remove the areas where bacteria can get trapped.
Scaling and root planing may be done in a single visit, though a quadrant (1/4th of the mouth) or half of the mouth is usually recommended per appointment.
After scaling and planing, your gums may be numb from the anesthesia and then possibly tender. But with a consistent oral health routine (twice-daily brushing and daily flossing), your gums should quickly regain a firm, healthy, pink appearance.
Gum contouring reshapes your gum tissue to create a more attractive smile. It can bring balance to "gummy" smiles and can also reshape gumlines damaged by recession.
For gummy smiles, excess gum tissue is removed. Your teeth look longer and your smile appears more balanced. The procedure is relatively quick and easy.
We use lasers for your comfort and faster healing. Occasionally, bone reduction is done in combination with gum reduction to change the shape of your smile.