What is periodontal disease and how do we treat it?

Written By Allan Padbury

Patients are most often referred from their general dentist to Padbury Periodontics & Implant Dentistry due to periodontal disease. But what is periodontal disease and how do we treat it?

Those are great questions.

Periodontal disease — also called “gum disease” — is simply an infection that affects the tissues and bone that support your teeth. Healthy gums hold your teeth tightly in place. But periodontal disease means your gums are pulling away from your teeth. They also may be red and swollen. As periodontal disease worsens, the tissue and bones that support your teeth can become damaged.

Good news! If treated early, we can prevent periodontal disease from worsening. And we can do so in a way that causes our patients no or minimal pain. Here are three ways we do so:

  • Professional cleaning: If periodontal disease is caught early enough — when it’s still in the gingivitis stage — a professional cleaning might do the trick. Our dental team will also advise you on how to improve your daily oral hygiene.

  • Scaling and root planing: During scaling, one of our dental professionals will carefully remove plaque and tartar to the bottom of each periodontal pocket. After that comes root planing, which is the cleaning and smoothing of the tooth’s root surfaces. This helps your gums heal and reattach to the tooth, which shrinks the depth of the pocket. In some cases, one visit is enough. In many cases, ongoing monitoring and treatment might be necessary.

  • Periodontal surgery: If neither of the above steps is enough, Dr. Allan Padbury or Dr. Michelle Chen will likely perform periodontal surgery. This allows them to remove tartar and plaque from difficult to reach areas. Following surgery, your gums will be stitched in a manner that allows them to tightly hug your teeth. This reduces pocket depth and makes it easier for you to keep your teeth clean. An additional note: If your periodontal disease has caused the bone to be damaged, you might need additional surgery to rebuild or reshape it. (Dr. Padbury and Dr. Chen can perform that surgery as well!)

We hope that helps answer some of your questions. If you have any further questions, visit the FAQ page on our website, email us at padburyperio@gmail.com or call our office at (517) 784-2700 during normal business hours.

Allan Padbury