Periodontal Disease Treatment (Gum Disease)
Gum disease treatment is essential for protecting your oral health, helping to eliminate infection, restore gum health, and prevent long-term damage to your teeth and supporting structures.
Gum Disease Treatment near Palos Heights, IL
Gum disease treatment focuses on eliminating infection early to prevent more serious oral health complications and protect the supporting structures of your teeth. Care often includes scaling and root planing to remove tartar below the gumline and smooth tooth roots, helping the gums heal and reattach properly. In some cases, antibiotics or advanced technologies such as ultrasonic or laser therapy may be used to target bacteria and infected tissue more comfortably. Early intervention and routine care play a key role in maintaining healthy gums and preventing the progression of periodontal disease.
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What are the signs of periodontal disease?
The earliest sign of periodontal disease is often gum irritation, which may cause tenderness or bleeding during brushing, flossing, or professional cleanings. If left untreated, the gums can begin to recede and separate from the teeth, forming spaces known as periodontal pockets where bacteria can accumulate. Your dental team will measure these pockets to assess the severity of the condition and determine appropriate treatment. In advanced stages, gum disease can affect the jawbone and supporting tissues, potentially leading to bone loss and tooth loss if not properly managed.
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What causes gum disease?
Gum disease can develop from several causes, with chronic periodontitis being the most common. This form occurs when poor oral hygiene allows bacteria to build up beneath the gumline, eventually hardening into tartar that requires professional removal, leading to inflammation, tissue damage, and bone loss if untreated. Aggressive periodontitis is a less common, often genetic condition that progresses quickly and may even appear in younger patients. A rare form, necrotizing periodontal disease, typically affects individuals with weakened immune systems or chronic health conditions, causing damage to gum tissue and bone due to reduced blood flow.
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How is gum disease treated?
Gum disease is treated based on its severity, with early to moderate cases typically managed through scaling and root planing, a deep cleaning procedure that removes plaque, tartar, and bacteria from below the gumline and smooths the tooth roots to help prevent future buildup and allow the gums to heal and reattach. In more advanced cases where the infection has affected the jawbone, surgical treatments such as bone grafting may be necessary to restore lost bone and encourage regeneration, helping to rebuild support for the teeth and, in some cases, prepare the area for future dental restorations like implants.
More questions about gum disease treatment?
If you have additional questions about periodontal disease treatment, please contact our office—we would be happy to discuss your options in more detail.
