Periodontics
Return Your Gums to Health With Gum Disease Treatment in Plano
Studies show that gum disease affects up to half of American adults. Recent research has even linked advanced gum disease to serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. As frightening as this sounds, the good news is that we can return your mouth to health with gum disease treatment in Plano.
Our Treatment Will:
- Relieve unpleasant symptoms like bad breath and bleeding gums
- Lower your risk of health conditions associated with gum disease
- Make it comfortable again to brush and floss your teeth
- Prevent the gum deterioration and bone loss that can result in tooth loss in later stages of the disease
If you have bleeding gums or other symptoms of gum (periodontal) disease, call us today at 972-380-8105.
Eliminate Early Stage Gum Disease With a Deep Cleaning Treatment
Dr. Rick Barfield and our staff use the latest technology, including digital X-rays and our intraoral camera, to detect gum disease during dental exams. It’s easiest to treat in its earliest stage, called gingivitis. You may have inflamed gums caused by plaque buildup on and beneath the gums, but there is no tissue loss or other permanent damage at this stage. A common therapy for treating gum disease is a deep cleaning procedure known as scaling and root planing. After carefully numbing the affected area of your mouth, we’ll use our instruments to:
- Clean plaque from your teeth and tartar buildup around and under your gums (scaling)
- Remove rough areas near the tooth root where bacteria is especially likely to collect (planning)
Most people need no more than local anesthesia to remain comfortable during the procedure, but you can also receive dental sedation if you’re nervous or concerned about discomfort.
We Can Treat Later Stages of Gum Disease Too
Sometimes deep cleaning is not enough to eliminate the bacteria in your roots. This is when we might also use Atridox®, an antibiotic that we place directly in your infected gum pockets. The antibiotic will release slowly over a period of several days as it gets rid of your infection and heals your gums. For even more advanced cases of gum disease (periodontitis), you can be treated by a periodontist. This gum disease specialist schedules appointments in our office once a week.
For gum disease treatment in Plano, call 972-380-8105.