Periodontal Treatment

Most people don’t realize that periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults. According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of every two adults over the age of 30 in the United States has periodontal disease.

You may be surprised to learn that the human mouth is home to a wide variety of microbes. The fact is that over 700 different strains of bacteria have been detected in the oral cavity. Although some of these bacteria are beneficial, others are harmful to oral health. Without proper oral hygiene and routine dental care, these harmful bacteria can cause tooth decay and gum disease, compromising both your oral health and overall wellbeing.

In addition to inadequate oral hygiene and infrequent professional care, other factors, including smoking, genetic tendencies, and unchecked diabetes, can contribute to the escalation of periodontal disease.

Your gums and teeth have an interdependent relationship, which means healthy teeth depend on the support of healthy gums. Also, taking care of your smile does more than keep your teeth and gums in optimal condition; good oral health also supports systemic health. In addition to being the leading cause of tooth loss in adults, researchers are finding more and more links between periodontal disease and a number of medical problems, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, respiratory problems, and adverse pregnancy outcomes such as pre-term and low birth-weight babies.

If you notice that your gums are bleeding with the slightest pressure while brushing or flossing, it’s a sign of gingivitis. Although gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease, it can easily be reversed with deeper cleanings as well as an improved regimen of oral hygiene at home.

In the absence of professional treatment and better home care, gingivitis progresses to the next stage, which is known as periodontitis. In this stage, the connective tissue and bone that hold the teeth in place begin to break down with an increase in pocketing between the teeth and bone, gum recession, and bone loss. Without proper treatment by your dentist, periodontitis will progress from a mild to moderate loss of supporting tissue to the destruction of the bone around the teeth.

Although gingivitis can often be reversed with improved oral hygiene and professional cleanings, as periodontal disease advances, more extensive procedures are required to halt its progression. Based on a complete assessment of your periodontal health and a review of possible contributing factors, our office will recommend the best options in care. Treatment for periodontitis may include a series of deeper cleanings known as root planing and scaling, surgical procedures to reduce pocket depth, bone or tissue grafts, laser procedures, or antimicrobial medications.

The cost of care depends on the type of procedures required to restore your periodontal health. If you have dental insurance, plans often cover treatment to prevent gum disease as well as many procedures to treat the various stages of gum disease. Our goal is to help patients restore and maintain good oral health. We do all we can to help you begin care without additional stress or delay. Our business office works with you to maximize your benefits and provide easier, more convenient payment options.

By seeing our office regularly for care and doing your best to eat a healthy diet and practice good oral hygiene, you can keep your smile in tip-top shape as well as protect your overall wellbeing.

At the office of Morrison Dental Care, we provide a comprehensive range of services to address all your oral healthcare needs. You can rest assured that your smile is in the best of hands at our office. Our skilled and experienced team maintains a position at the forefront of advances in care and remains dedicated to providing the highest quality of skilled and compassionate treatment.

Periodontal disease begins when bacterial plaque accumulates along the gumline and below the gums, triggering inflammation of the supporting tissues around the teeth. Risk factors that increase the likelihood of disease progression include smoking, poorly controlled diabetes, certain medications, genetic predisposition, and inconsistent oral hygiene. When these factors combine with untreated plaque and tartar, the inflammation can advance from reversible gingivitis to destructive periodontitis.

Because the progression is often painless in early stages, many patients do not notice symptoms until tissue damage has occurred. Regular dental exams and professional cleanings help identify and remove the bacterial deposits that drive the disease process. Early recognition and modification of risk factors are essential to limit long-term damage to the gums and bone that support your teeth.

Common early signs include red, swollen, or tender gums and bleeding during brushing or flossing, which frequently indicate gingivitis. As disease advances, patients may notice receding gums, persistent bad breath, a bad taste in the mouth, increased tooth sensitivity, or the development of new spaces between teeth. Teeth that feel mobile or a noticeable change in bite or denture fit can signal more significant bone loss and should prompt evaluation.

Because symptoms can be subtle, routine dental visits are critical to detect changes before irreversible damage occurs. Your dental team will assess pocket depths, attachment levels, and radiographic bone support to determine the stage of disease. Discussing any changes in your oral health or systemic conditions with your dentist helps tailor a monitoring and treatment plan.

Treatment for early-stage gum disease (gingivitis) focuses on eliminating plaque and reducing inflammation through professional cleaning and improved at-home care. A thorough dental cleaning removes plaque and tartar above and below the gumline, while education on brushing technique, interdental cleaning, and appropriate home products helps control future buildup. Adjunctive measures such as targeted antimicrobial rinses or short-term topical agents may be recommended to reduce bacterial load.

With consistent home care and routine professional maintenance, gingivitis is often reversible and full periodontal support can be preserved. Your dental team will schedule follow-up visits to monitor healing and ensure pocket depths are stable or improving. If early measures do not produce the expected response, further diagnostic assessment will guide next steps in treatment.

Non-surgical periodontal therapy, including scaling and root planing, is typically recommended when pockets form but bone loss is limited and the condition is still responsive to conservative care. This procedure removes plaque, calculus, and bacterial toxins from tooth roots to reduce pocket depth and allow the tissues to reattach. Antimicrobial agents placed locally or systemic medications may be used as adjuncts when warranted by the clinical situation.

After non-surgical therapy, patients enter a phase of close re-evaluation to confirm healing and reduced inflammation, often within four to twelve weeks. Successful cases transition to a periodontal maintenance schedule tailored to the patient’s risk profile. When deeper pockets or persistent infection remain despite conservative care, surgical options may be considered to regain access and restore healthy anatomy.

Periodontal surgery is used to access and clean deep pockets, reshape supportive tissues, and, when necessary, place grafts to restore lost bone or soft tissue. Common procedures include flap surgery to debride infected root surfaces, pocket reduction to create a more maintainable architecture, and regenerative techniques that use bone grafts or membranes to encourage tissue reformation. Most procedures are performed under local anesthesia and, when appropriate, with adjunctive technologies such as lasers to enhance precision and reduce discomfort.

Recovery typically involves a short period of tenderness, careful oral hygiene modifications, and follow-up visits for suture removal and healing assessment. Your clinician will provide specific post-operative instructions regarding pain control, oral rinses, and dietary recommendations to support recovery. Long-term success depends on adherence to maintenance visits and effective home care to prevent recurrence.

Bone grafting and regenerative procedures aim to rebuild lost bone and soft tissue around teeth so that periodontal support can be improved and the risk of tooth loss reduced. Grafts may use the patient’s own bone, donor bone, or synthetic materials, often combined with membranes or biologic modifiers that promote new tissue formation. These techniques can restore socket contours, increase bone volume for implant placement, and improve both function and long-term prognosis.

Not every patient is a candidate for regeneration; success depends on defect type, patient health, and infection control prior to surgery. A thorough evaluation, including radiographs and clinical measurements, helps determine the most appropriate regenerative approach. When successful, these procedures can provide more favorable outcomes than resective surgery alone by rebuilding the structures that support the teeth.

Lasers and other modern technologies are complementary tools that can enhance periodontal diagnosis and treatment while minimizing invasiveness in select cases. Laser therapy may be used to remove diseased tissue, reduce pocket depth, manage peri-implantitis, or assist in bacterial reduction, often with less bleeding and swelling than some traditional approaches. Advanced imaging such as digital radiography and cone-beam CT (CBCT) supports more accurate assessment of bone loss, root anatomy, and implant planning.

While technology can improve precision, it does not replace thorough mechanical debridement and sound clinical judgment. Your clinician will recommend technologies based on the specific clinical needs, evidence of benefit, and how they integrate with established periodontal protocols. Effective outcomes rely on combining proven techniques with appropriate technological adjuncts when indicated.

After active periodontal therapy, most patients enter a periodontal maintenance program that typically involves professional cleanings and evaluations every three months, although intervals are individualized based on disease severity and risk factors. These maintenance visits focus on removing recurrent plaque and calculus, checking pocket depths, and reinforcing home care to prevent relapse. Patients with higher risk—such as smokers or those with diabetes—often require more frequent monitoring and tailored support.

Consistent maintenance is the most important factor in preventing recurrence of periodontitis and preserving treatment gains over time. Your dental team will use clinical measurements and patient response to adjust the maintenance schedule as needed. Open communication about changes in health status or home care helps the practice provide proactive management.

Research has established associations between periodontal inflammation and systemic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and respiratory illness, likely related to chronic inflammatory and bacterial pathways. While associations do not prove direct causation in every case, managing periodontal inflammation can reduce systemic inflammatory burden and support overall health, particularly in patients with chronic medical conditions. For patients with diabetes, controlling periodontal disease can help with glycemic management and reduce complication risks.

Because of these links, your periodontal evaluation should consider medical history and coordination with primary care providers when appropriate. Managing periodontal disease is part of a comprehensive approach to health, and treating oral inflammation can be a meaningful component of broader preventive care. Discuss any systemic health concerns with your dental team so that treatment plans reflect your overall medical status.

You should consider referral to a periodontist when periodontal disease is advanced, when initial therapy fails to control infection, when complex regenerative or reconstructive procedures are needed, or when implants require specialized management. Periodontists have focused training in surgical and regenerative techniques and can provide advanced options such as bone grafting, soft tissue grafts, and management of peri-implant disease. Your general dentist may recommend specialist care for persistent pocketing, progressive bone loss, or when treatment planning for implants demands advanced expertise.

If you notice persistent bleeding, mobility, deep pockets, or changes in your bite, prompt evaluation is important to preserve support structures and prevent further complications. Morrison Dental Care and its team coordinate care and will advise on when specialist referral is appropriate based on clinical findings. Early collaboration with a specialist can expand treatment choices and improve long-term outcomes for patients with complex periodontal needs.