Newmarket Dentist – Keep28 Dental Centre – Gum Disease Treatment
Gum disease treatment in Newmarket depends on the severity of the condition. If your dentist discovers that you are suffering from gum disease, he or she will recommend immediate treatment. These treatments will help control bacterial growth and restore supportive tissues.
Nonsurgical Treatments
During your regular checkup, you receive a professional cleaning to remove plaque and tartar. If you are showing signs of gum disease, your dentist may recommend additional cleanings to those you have every six months. This is not an active gum disease treatment, but it will often stop the disease from taking hold.
Patients with tartar under the gums receive scaling and root planing at the same time as their dental cleaning. Scaling involves scraping away plaque and tartar from under the gum line, whereas planing involves smoothing the root of the tooth. For this procedure, you will receive a local anesthetic.
Surgical Treatments
If your gum disease has already turned into periodontitis by the time you see your dentist, you will need surgery. The disease leads to large pockets in the gums, which provide more space for bacteria to grow. Your dentist will use surgery to reduce the size of pockets while removing tartar from under the gums. If necessary, your dentist will also smooth the damaged bone to prevent the buildup of bacteria.
After some time, the disease may start weakening your jawbone. When this is the case, a dentist near you will use a graft to replace the damaged bone and stimulate growth. Your dentist can do the same with a tissue graft where gums have receded, usually taking tissue from the roof of your mouth and stitching it in place.
The most extreme cases of gum disease lead to craters in the bone. You will need bone surgery to smooth craters and make it more difficult for bacteria to accumulate.