Periodontal and Gum Disease Therapy

Infection and inflammation that affect the tissues and supporting bone of your teeth are known as periodontal disease, some people call it gum disease or “pyorrhea.” Proper periodontal treatment and maintenance are crucial to retaining your teeth. Gum tissue can react by becoming inflamed and red, or receding and exposing root surfaces. 

Symptoms are not always obvious and pain may not be a problem. If the periodontal disease progresses and is not treated, supporting bone may be lost causing teeth to shift, loosen and eventually fall out. When this happens, it affects eating, speaking, and your overall health. Appearance may be affected also.

Periodontal disease is an ongoing infection of the gums. If left untreated, periodontal disease can progress slowly in some patients and very quickly in others. Periodontal disease affects one or more of the periodontal tissues: alveolar bone, periodontal ligaments, cementum, or gingiva (gums). The initial stage of gum disease is called gingivitis and it is typically easier to treat, especially in the early stages. Gingivitis that is not treated will most generally progress to the more serious “periodontitis” if not treated.

When you brush your teeth, you’re cleaning the visible surfaces. Dental scaling and root planing is periodontal therapy in the form of a deeper cleaning. Dental scaling gets rid of all plaque and tartar above and below the gumline, and root planing smooths out any uneven areas on the surfaces of tooth roots so that bacteria will have a harder time sticking and gum tissue will be able to heal effectively.

This kind of deep cleaning has been described as the gold standard of treatment for patients with gum disease. To get the gums healthy again, all that gunk needs to be cleaned out, which is what dental scaling and root planing does. 

While routine scaling helps prevent gum disease, scaling and root planing is a non-surgical treatment for existing gum disease. In cases of severe periodontitis, it may be recommended before gum surgery. 

Periodontitis (advanced gum disease), is caused by a sticky film of bacteria called plaque. Plaque is constantly forming on our teeth, but without proper cleaning, the bacteria in plaque can cause the gums to become inflamed. 

If left untreated, they will begin to pull away from the teeth, leaving pockets where the bacteria can breed. At this point, it becomes extremely difficult (if not impossible) to remove the bacteria with regular brushing and flossing alone, and there’s a risk of bone and tooth loss. Dr. Jarvis would recommend scaling and root planing to combat periodontitis.

Scaling and root planning is a two-part procedure to treat periodontitis. Scaling is when Dr. Jarvis removes all of the plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) above and below the gumline, cleaning all the way down to the bottom of the pocket. Dr. Jarvis then begins the second phase of treatment, which is root planning. 

Root planing involves smoothing out the dental roots to help the gums reattach. Planing helps the root surfaces become smooth, which keeps bacteria, plaque, and tartar from re-adhering underneath the gumline. The process may take more than one appointment to make sure that your teeth are clean and healthy.

When you see Dr. Jarvis for follow-up treatments, he will want to check on the healing of your teeth and gums. In most cases, patients who had red or swollen gums find that their gums turn pink again and they experience little to no bleeding. If your gums respond well and remain stable, you won’t need any further periodontal therapy.