Gum Disease Therapy – Lakewood, CO
I Am Concerned About Gum Disease
Gum disease is a very common bacterial infection that can affect the gums, roots of the teeth, and the bone that supports them. Early symptoms include red, swollen, and tender gums that bleed quite easily, and can eventually develop into the leading cause of adult tooth loss in the world. We keep a close eye on our patients’ gums whenever they come to see us for preventive dental checkups. For those dealing with gum disease, we can provide a number of targeted therapies in addition to working closely with a periodontist (gum specialist) close to your home or here in our dental office! Thanks to this coordinated effort, we can make sure our patients’ entire smiles (not just their teeth) stay healthy and complete for years to come. If you’re experiencing the early signs of gum disease that we touched on above, contact us today to get the treatment best for you!
Why Choose Lakewood Complete Dentistry for Gum Disease Therapy?
- Helps prevent the #1 cause of adult tooth loss
- Protects both your oral & overall health
- Periodontist provides specialized treatments in-house
Scaling & Root Planing
For mild to moderate cases of gum disease, we are able to reduce the infection by using a set of treatments called scaling and root planing. This can be thought of as a dental cleaning that is specifically focused on the gums and roots of the teeth. First, a member of our team will remove any plaque and tartar deposits located along the gum line (scaling), and then, the roots of the teeth will be gently smoothed out (root planing). This lowers the risk of plaque and bacteria gathering around the gums in the future, helping to keep our patients protected from reinfection.
Chao Pinhole Technique
Gum recession, in which the gums actually pull away from the teeth, is a very common symptom of gum disease that can affect both the appearance and health of the smile. In the past, the only way to address this problem involved a painful gum graft, but thankfully, we are no longer living in the past!
With the Chao Pinhole Technique, the dentist uses special tools to gently stretch and manipulate the gums back into their original position. The procedure is fast, relatively painless, and involves less recovery time than traditional gum grafting.
Learn More About Chao Pinhole Surgical Technique
Antibiotic Therapy
After an initial scaling and root planing treatment, our team offers to apply a topical antibiotic to the gums in order to eliminate any leftover bacteria that is still hidden deep beneath the gum line. For this, we’ll use Arestin, which quickly dries on the gums and then slowly dissolves over the next few days. This enables a powerful antimicrobial agent to seep below the gums and reach any remaining bacteria.