Periodontal Treatments - Dana Point, CA

Save Your Teeth and Your Health

Good Gum Health Is Critical

Gum disease isn’t merely a condition affecting the gums. As the foundation of your smile, your gums directly affect your smile and your overall health. Left untreated, it can cause gum recession, tooth loss, and even bone loss. Gum disease has even been connected to overall systemic conditions like heart disease and diabetes. The good news is that by brushing and flossing your teeth as directed, giving up tobacco products, and having regular dental cleanings and exams here at Dana Point Smiles can help you avoid it. Driven by extensive training and board certification, our general dentists have the expertise to help you prevent gum disease and to treat it effectively if you do develop it. We’re the practice patients with periodontal disease in Dana Point, CA come to. After treatment, you can regain lost teeth with dental implants— right here in the same office!

Gum Disease Warning Signs

Red, swollen gums
Gum recession
Bleeding gums
Loose teeth
Jawbone decay
Persistent bad breath
Increasing tooth sensitivity
Pockets forming between gums and teeth

Key Periodontal Treatments

No-Scalpel Laser Gum Disease Treatment

Using a state-of-the-art dental laser equipment we can offer several minimally invasive gum disease treatments. The laser destroys bacteria as it crosses the treatment area, instantly disinfecting areas of tissue affected by gum disease. If some areas of tissue don’t respond to treatment, we can also use the laser to remove that tissue—no scalpel or sutures are needed. Our innovative laser system takes the place of sharp instruments, sutures, and medications all in a single tool.

Scaling and Root Planing

If you don’t have dental plaque (bacterial buildup) removed from below your gumline your gums and teeth may separate, causing deep pockets to form between them. With scaling we clear away the plaque buildup. We then follow this with root planing, which is the process of smoothing down your tooth root enamel to prevent bacteria from accumulating in tiny crevices. Once we’ve completed this treatment your teeth and gums will be able to reattach to one another and properly seal out bacteria again.

Periodontal Maintenance

While advanced stages of periodontal disease are incurable, we can control the condition and prevent it from spreading. After you’ve had gum disease treatment, we’ll have you return to our office three or four times per year to undergo periodontal maintenance. During these visits we’ll perform deep cleanings to eliminate any bacteria that may have accrued since your previous visit.

Osseous Surgery

If your gum disease should reach an advanced level, our team has the knowledge and resources to treat it surgically. During osseous surgery (or flap surgery), we open and peel back any diseased gum tissue to provide more intensive treatment. Once we have better access to deep periodontal pockets, we’ll remove all signs of infection from the tooth roots and bone underneath, even extracting diseased tissue if necessary. We can rebuild any decayed bone through bone grafting during osseous surgery, if needed. We finish this treatment with a thorough sanitization of the area before closing up the surgical site.

Gum Grafting

If you’re missing gum tissue—either due to recession or removal during gum disease treatment—we can replace that lost tissue through gum grafting. We can take soft tissues from the roof of your mouth or from in front of teeth with excess gum coverage and attach it in the recessed areas. During this process we take great care to shape the gum tissue around your teeth to create a natural, consistent look when you smile.

Guided Tissue Regeneration

To expedite your healing after gum grafting, we employ the revolutionary guided tissue regeneration (GTR) technique. For this we position a biocompatible mesh between your gums and bone after treatment. Soft tissues and hard tissues heal at different rates. The mesh provides a protective barrier that allows your gums to heal without hindrance from the underlying bone. The result is a smoother, quicker path back to healthy gums!

Peri-Implantitis Treatment

Dental implants are built to last up to a lifetime and have a 98% success rate after placement. However, if the tissue surrounding an implant becomes infected, the implant can loosen and ultimately fall out. Jawbone loss typically follows. This infection is called peri-implantitis. By performing a deep cleaning, removing infected tissue, and performing bone grafting when necessary, our team can help your implants stay healthy and in place for many years to come.

Maintain Your Smile and Your Health

Come to us for reliable, minimally invasive periodontal disease treatment.

Periodontal Treatments