Gum Therapy (A.K.A. “Deep Cleaning”):

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.

Gum Care Visits:

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 superficial 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.

Arestin:

Sometimes we can place a 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.

Pinhole Surgical Technique:

The Pinhole Surgical Technique is 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. You can learn more about the technique here.

LANAP (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure):

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. You can learn more about LANAP on this website.

Bone Grafts and Soft Tissue Grafts:

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.

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.