Non-surgical Periodontal Therapy

When deep pockets between teeth and gums are present, it is difficult for a dentist or hygienist to thoroughly remove plaque and tartar. Furthermore, patients can seldom, if ever, keep these pockets clean and free of plaque. Therefore, periodontal treatment may be needed to access the deep pockets and restore periodontal health.

The emphasis in Dr. Young’s office is conservative periodontal therapy. Many times periodontal disease can be best treated with non-surgical periodontal therapy. Sometimes non-surgical treatment is all that is needed to help reduce the pockets around teeth. Even in the most severe cases of periodontal disease, non-surgical periodontal therapy most often precedes surgical therapy to limit the areas of requiring more treatment.

Antibiotics may be recommended to help control the growth of bacteria that create toxins and cause periodontitis. In some cases, Dr. Young may place antibiotic gel in the periodontal pockets after non-surgical therapy. This may be done to control infection and to encourage normal healing.

	Treatment Methods
	Treatment methods depend upon the type of disease and how far the condition has progressed. The first step is usually a thorough cleaning that may include deep scaling in order to remove plaque and tartar deposits beneath the gumline. The tooth roots may also be planed to smooth the root surface. This allows the gum tissue to heal and reattach to the tooth. In some cases, the occlusion (bite) may require adjustment.