Advanced periodontal care that supports your overall health.
Periodontics focuses on the health of your gums, bone, and connective tissue, which are the foundation of every healthy smile. Our board-certified periodontist provides advanced care to prevent, diagnose, and treat gum disease, as well as restore bone and soft tissue when needed.
From deep cleanings and gum grafts to dental implants and bone regeneration, we use modern techniques and compassionate care to help you achieve long-term oral health.
Gum therapy is a procedure performed by a dental hygienist to remove bacteria-filled plaque and tartar that have reached the area beneath your gum line and infected the gums around your teeth. Your hygienist will use a local anesthetic to make sure you’re comfortable throughout the entire treatment and focus on cleaning the spaces between your teeth and your gums. You might only have a few localized areas in your mouth that require gum therapy to heal an infection, or your entire mouth might need gum therapy. If the infection is widespread, you should count on coming to see us for two separate visits to complete your gum therapy treatment.
Once your gum infection is under control, it’s very important to come back and see us for gum care visits. Gum care appointments are the equivalent of a “cleaning” for people who have been diagnosed with periodontal disease, but even more important. In addition to cleaning the visible areas on your teeth, your hygienist will pay extra attention to managing your gum infection and ensuring that the results of your previous treatment stay successful.
Sometimes we can place tiny microspheres of an antibiotic called Arestin below your gumline to help a gum disease infection heal faster. If your hygienist thinks it will be beneficial, we’ll recommend this in conjunction with gum therapy. Once placed the pocket between your teeth and gums, the medicine quickly adheres to the surrounding surfaces, to provide a sustained release of minocycline at the site of an active infection.
The Pinhole Surgical Technique is a minimally invasive treatment option to reduce gum recession without scalpels or stitches. During this treatment, your gum tissue is shifted into a healthier position using a tiny access point and collagen strips. Because there’s no cutting, opting for this technique can reduce pain and healing time when compared to traditional grafting.
LANAP is a surgical procedure performed by Dr. Gardner designed for the treatment of gum disease. Through the use of lasers, it can correct the condition and help regrow healthy gum tissue. Due to the minimally invasive nature of this procedure, there is a very short recovery time compared to that of osseous surgery.
Osseous surgery is recommended when there is bone loss surrounding your teeth. It is prescribed for people that have not responded to nonsurgical treatment like gum therapy. Osseous surgery is a traditional procedure that eliminates gum pockets by taking away the infected gum tissue and diseased bone.
Bone grafts serve as a platform to regrow new bone to restore stability to your teeth. Soft tissue grafts can reinforce thinning gums or areas where gum recession has occurred.
Dr. Lydia Gardner graduated with an AB in Psychology and a language citation in French from Harvard University. She then went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. She was inducted into the prestigious OKU national dental honor society which has moral as well as academic selection criteria. Dr. Gardner then completed her 3-year specialty residency in Periodontics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. She simultaneously earned a Master of Science degree in Oral Biology for independent research examining the relationship between obesity and periodontal disease. She presented the preliminary results of her Master’s research in Brazil at the annual meeting of the International Association for Dental Research. Dr. Gardner also traveled to South Africa and Morocco during her residency to participate in humanitarian missions providing care to communities without access.
Dr. Gardner is a Diplomat of the American Board of Periodontology. Board certification denotes someone who has made significant achievements beyond the mandatory educational requirements of the specialty, including demonstrating a comprehensive mastery of all phases of periodontal disease and treatment, and in the placement of dental implants. She is also a member of the American Academy of Periodontology, the Northeastern Society of Periodontists, and the International Team for Implantology. Additionally, Dr. Gardner holds a New York State Conscious Sedation certification to provide IV sedation for her patients.
In her spare time, Dr. Gardner enjoys travel, skiing, exercise, reading, and spending time with her husband and their son.
