Periodontal Treatments & Procedures

Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) is often the first noticeable symptom, as you may experience bleeding gums as you brush or floss. Some other possible symptoms:

• Bad breath (halitosis)
• Changes in the position of your teeth
• Loose teeth
• Receding gums
• Red, tender, or swollen gums
• Buildup of plaque or tartar
• Pain when chewing
• Tooth loss
• Foul taste in your mouth
• Inflammatory response throughout your body

If you think you have gum disease, call us right away. We want to treat periodontitis as soon as possible as it’s linked to an increased risk for:

• Stroke
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Respiratory disease
• Preterm birth

Treating Periodontitis

When caught early, periodontitis can be stopped. Treatment is performed by Cajon Dental as we thoroughly clean the pockets around your teeth to protect your surrounding bone from damage.

Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatments 

• Scaling is an ultrasonic teeth cleaning above and below the gum line. Scaling removes plaque and tartar from deep pockets that regular cleaning may not reach.
• Root Planing smoothes the root surface. When the surface is smooth, it’s harder for plaque, tartar and bacteria to stick to the root. Find more about scaling and root planing on our Dental Exam & Cleaning page.
• Antibiotics either oral or topical, help control the bacterial infection.

At your follow-up appointment, we’ll make sure everything is progressing as it should be. In most cases, periodontal treatments are very successful.

Surgical Periodontal Treatments 

Although non-surgical periodontal treatments are successful most of the time, there are surgical options available if necessary.

• Flap surgery involves tiny incisions in your gums, lifting a section of gum tissue back to allow for more effective scaling or root planning. 
• Soft tissue grafts replace any gum tissue you’ve lost causing your gum line to shrink. Using a small amount of tissue from the roof of your mouth or another source, soft tissue grafts reduce further gum loss.

Bone grafting is done when the bone surrounding your root has been destroyed. Bone grafting holds your tooth in place to help prevent tooth loss as well as promote regrowth of your natural bone.