Gum treatment

Gum disease is caused when bacteria, found in plaque, work between the soft tissues (gums) and your teeth.

It slowly destroys the underlying bone and damages the roots of your teeth. In time, your gums become more inflamed and ‘puffy’, bleed, and if left untreated, could lead to premature tooth loss. The early stages can be treated with non-surgical treatments (scale and polish, deep cleaning).

During your first appointment, a record of measurements will be taken around each tooth to assess the level of the disease. This process is repeated throughout each stage of treatment to continuously monitor the progression of the disease.

Once it is clear which stage of the disease you have, recommendations for the appropriate treatment are made, and a bespoke treatment plan is provided to you. The early stage of treatment may involve oral hygiene instruction, deep scaling (prophylaxis), and polishing with a Dental Hygienist/Therapist. Once this phase of treatment is completed, you are reassessed by a Specialist Periodontist to determine if further treatment is necessary.

Root planning is another form of deep scaling, which can be best carried out by the Periodontist. This treatment is carried out under a local anaesthetic and is usually treated over two appointments.

Periodontal surgery – This is the most invasive treatment and sometimes necessary for moderate and advanced disease cases. It may also be necessary to add bone grafting and application of medicaments to the area to help destroy the harmful bacteria and rebuild the lost bone.

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