Periodontal Disease Treatment

Receiving a gingivitis or periodontal disease diagnosis can be concerning. Our dentists, however, are here for you, and we are fully committed to helping you get your oral health back on track with a variety of approaches to addressing periodontal disease in all stages. 

What Is Periodontal Disease?

Also called gum disease, periodontal disease is a bacterial infection of the gingiva (gums). Periodontal disease has an increased chance of developing due to poor oral hygiene, which allows plaque and tartar (calculus) to accumulate on the surfaces of the teeth. This buildup pushes the gums away from the teeth, creating moist, dark pockets where bacteria thrive. 

The Signs, Symptoms, and Effects of Periodontal Disease

The symptoms and complications of periodontal disease differ depending on how advanced the infection is. Early on, periodontal disease causes:

  • Inflamed/swollen gums
  • Red gums
  • Gum tenderness
  • Gums that bleed easily
  • Gum recession
  • Tooth sensitivity
  • Persistent bad breath

In later stages, these symptoms continue and are accompanied by:

  • Tissue loss around the teeth
  • Bone loss around the teeth
  • Deterioration of the periodontal ligaments
  • Loose or shifting teeth
  • Tooth loss

Left unaddressed, the heightened levels of inflammation caused by periodontal disease can also affect a person’s overall health. Periodontal disease has been strongly correlated with several systemic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, dementia, rheumatoid arthritis, reproductive health problems, and an increased risk of respiratory infections. 

Options for Treating Gum Disease and Gingivitis

With such serious consequences, you can see why taking steps to treat and manage gum disease is so important. At Glen Ellyn Dentistry, we address periodontal disease in patients using the following treatment approaches. The treatment plan we recommend for you is based on the stage of periodontal disease (gingivitis, mild, moderate, or severe) with which you have been diagnosed. 

Non-Surgical Therapy

There are a variety of non-surgical therapies that can be used to address gingivitis and most mild cases of periodontal disease. These include:

  • More frequent dental hygiene appointments to prevent the teeth from accumulating calculus
  • Scaling and root planing (periodontal cleaning) to remove calculus from the surfaces below the gum line while smoothing the surfaces of the tooth roots to discourage further bacterial growth 
  • Antibacterial and antiseptic rinses are applied during treatment to sterilize areas of infection
  • Improvements and adjustments to your at-home oral hygiene routine, such as the addition of a water flosser and alcohol-free antibacterial mouth rinses

Laser Gum Treatment

Laser gum treatment is sometimes recommended for more advanced cases of periodontal disease where dead and decayed tissues are present. 

In these cases, we use a BIOLASE Waterlase dental laser to remove decayed and dead hard and soft tissues from the periodontia to encourage recovery while sterilizing the treatment area to reduce the presence of bacterial infection. 

The CHAO Pinhole Surgical Technique

In severe cases of periodontal disease where extreme tissue loss and gum recession have occurred, we can encourage the recovery and restoration of the gum tissues using this advanced and minimally invasive surgical technique. 

Advanced Periodontal Disease Treatment With Our Glen Ellyn Dentists

At Glen Ellyn Dentistry, we always work closely with you to do everything we can to help prevent the development of gingivitis and periodontal disease. Sometimes, however, patients can still develop an infection. If you are diagnosed with gingivitis or any stage of periodontitis, we can talk with you about your options for addressing and managing the disease to safeguard your oral and general health. 

To learn more about periodontal disease and the treatment options available with our dentists, we welcome you to contact Glen Ellyn Dentistry at 630-942-0727 to request an appointment today.

Get Started Today!

We look forward to welcoming new patients into our office and seeing our existing patients again. To request an appointment, we welcome you to contact our office at 630-942-0727 or complete the appointment request form on our website.

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