Gum Disease Treatment at Chemung Family Dental

Bacterial infection of the tissues around your teeth. In its early form, gingivitis, the gums are inflamed but nothing is permanently lost. In its advanced form, periodontitis, the attachment and supporting bone break down.

Almost always inflammation from plaque along the gumline. Healthy gums do not bleed from normal brushing. Many people brush more gently in response, which lets more plaque accumulate and makes it worse.

We measure the pocket depth around each tooth with a small probe and record it, and we look at X-rays for bone levels. One to three millimeters with no bleeding is healthy. Deeper pockets, bleeding, and recession move you along the scale.

A regular cleaning works at and just above the gumline on healthy gums. Scaling and root planing goes beneath the gumline to clean and smooth root surfaces where bacteria have colonized. It is done with numbing, usually in sections over more than one visit.

The area is numbed, so the appointment itself should not. Afterwards, expect tenderness and some sensitivity for a few days, particularly to cold. Over-the-counter pain relief is normally enough.

Scaling and root planing usually takes two or more appointments of about an hour each, split by section. We re-measure several weeks later to see how the tissue has responded before deciding on anything further.

Tissue can tighten and reattach, and inflammation resolves, so pockets often get measurably shallower. But gum tissue and bone already lost to recession do not regenerate on their own. Treatment stops further loss rather than reversing what has gone.

Once pockets have formed, bacteria repopulate them faster than in healthy gums. Three or four month intervals keep that in check. Returning to six months typically means the disease returns too.

Yes. It is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. The teeth are often sound. It is the bone and attachment holding them that fails.

There are well-documented associations with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and pregnancy complications. The relationship with diabetes in particular runs both ways: poorly controlled blood sugar worsens gum disease, and treating gum disease can help glycemic control.

Brush twice daily along the gumline at an angle, clean between the teeth daily, and stop smoking if you smoke. Smoking is one of the strongest risk factors and it also masks bleeding, which hides the problem.

Many dental plans cover scaling and root planing when the pocket depths and X-rays document the need, though coverage levels vary and some plans limit how often. We verify your benefits and give you a written estimate before treatment.