Do I Need Gum Disease Treatment?
When gum disease is not present, a regular cleaning with your dentist will remove plaque on the visible surfaces of your teeth and a fluoride treatment will strengthen enamel. However, this cleaning is not effective if bacteria and plaque have built up under the gums through the pockets between the gums and teeth. A regular dental cleaning will not remove this bacteria, and it will continue to damage your teeth, gums, teeth roots, and jawbone if it remains. In these cases, you’ll need more extensive treatment to begin to reverse and prevent gum disease.
There are several gum disease treatments that are effective in removing plaque and stopping further damage to the gums and teeth. If you have gum disease, your dentist will recommend one or more of the following treatments. These treatments are designed to remove the bacteria, plaque and diseased tissue causing and worsening gum disease.
What treatments are used to combat gum disease?
- ARESTIN® / Localized Antibiotics
- Laser Decontamination
- Periodontal Maintenance
- Scaling and Root Planing
- Laser Curettage
- Referral to a Periodontist
Learn more about these treatments ›
Depending on the treatment you need, you may qualify for BDG’s New Patient Special.
Who is Eligible for BDG’s New Patient Special?
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| Condition | Healthy Gums  |
Gingivitis  |
Periodontitis |
Advanced Periodontitis |
| Symptoms |
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| Treatment |
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In need of:
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In need of:
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| New Patient Special? | Eligible | Not eligible | Not eligible | Not eligible |
Need gum treatment or an examination?
Schedule an appointment to get the gum treatment you need and put a stop to damage from gum disease.
What treatments are used to combat gum disease?
Mild Treatments
ARESTIN® / Localized Antibiotics
A localized antibiotic that is placed directly into the infected deep pockets to kill and suppress the bacteria that causes gum disease. It contains microspheres with antibiotic minocycline hydrochloride that releases antibiotic over time.
Benefit: Releases antibiotic over time to target and kill bacteria that cause gum disease.
Laser Decontamination
A low frequency laser. The light energy given off by the laser destroys the harmful bacteria while tissues without bacteria are able to heal faster and reduce inflammation.
Benefit: A painless way to kill bacterial and help reduce the healing time of gum pockets.
Moderate Treatments
Periodontal Maintenance
Maintenance procedure for patients who have gum disease and have had scaling and root planing. Once the gum disease is brought under control, it is critical that this procedure be performed on a regular basis, typically every 3 to 4 months. Please note that for most dental insurance plans, a co-payment applies for this procedure.
Benefit: Prevents or minimizes recurrence of gum disease.
Scaling and Root Planing
Procedure for treating gum disease when pockets are greater than 3mm. A local anesthetic may be given for your comfort to remove plaque and tartar down to the bottom of each periodontal pocket. Please note that for most dental insurance plans, a co-payment applies to this procedure.
Benefit: Effective treatment for gum disease to relieve bad breath, tender or bleeding gums and to help prevent tooth loss.
Advanced Treatments
Laser Curettage
A high frequency laser used to remove the diseased lining of a periodontal pocket and the underlying inflamed connective tissue, at the same time cauterizing the area to control any bleeding.
Benefit: Laser curettage removes dead and infected tissues around each tooth with gum disease.
Referral to a Periodontist
A periodontist focuses solely on gum health and treatment and can offer more advanced care for situations involving complex or advanced gum disease, tooth loss, and more.
Benefit: Specialized attention for gum issues that will require extra attention, deeper analysis and/or more complex or advanced gum treatments.
What is Gum Disease?
Gum disease is an infection of the tissues that surround and support your teeth, and it is a major cause of tooth loss in adults. Because gum disease is usually painless, you may not know you have it. Also referred to as periodontal disease, gum disease is caused by plaque, the sticky film of bacteria that is constantly forming on our teeth.
A study by the CDC showed that over 47% of adults in America have mild, moderate or severe gum disease, also called periodontal disease. Mind forms of gum disease, also called gingivitis, can be reversed with good dental hygiene and regular cleaning by a dentist. However, more advanced forms of gum disease require more extensive treatments to resolve. In these cases, the plaque built up between and underneath the gums must be removed, which can be done through procedures like scaling and root planing.
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