Gum Disease Treatment
Gum Disease Treatment
The main purpose of gum disease treatment is to reduce the amount of bacteria that grow deep underneath the gums, in order to slow down the progression of gum disease. In general, gum disease treatment has two phases.
- Phase 1 – Deep cleaning (known as “scaling and root planing”): About 1 to 2 months after the deep cleaning, the patient sees his/her periodontist for a periodontal re-evaluation to assess how effective the deep cleaning has been for the patient in the treatment of gum disease. If deep cleaning has been effective, the patient is then placed on a regular schedule of cleanings every 3 months known as “periodontal maintenance”
- Phase 2 – Gum surgery (known as “periodontal surgery”): If the “deep cleaning” has not been effective in the treatment all areas of gum disease, then the periodontist will need to perform gum surgeries to control the progression of gum disease. There are many types of gum surgeries and the periodontist will decide which type(s) of surgery the patient needs.