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Periodontal Disease Treatment Options

If you've been told you have gum disease - either gingivitis or periodontitis - you might worry if there's anything that can be done to help. gum diseaseAdvanced periodontal disease can cause bone and tooth loss. The good news is that Dr. Peter Cooper, your periodontist in Pasadena, CA, has the extensive training and experience needed to treat gum disease. Below, a few of the periodontal disease treatments we use at our office are outlined.

Root scaling and planing

Scaling is part of a regular dental cleaning at your periodontist 's office; it involves the use of a handheld metal tool that one of our skillful dental hygienists uses to "scrape" the surface of your teeth to remove tartar and other buildups. However, when used in periodontal disease treatment, the process is more in-depth. It can be thought of as a deep-cleaning treatment for your teeth and gums. We will use specialized tools to clean half or one quarter of yourone-quarter area of which is numbed prior to treatment. This allows us to carefully clean below the gum line, which removes the infection and encourages the gum tissue to begin healing.

Prescription mouthwash

While over-the-counter mouthwashes don't have particularly long-lasting effects, mouthwash that are prescribed by your Pasadena dentist specifically for periodontal disease treatment have medicinal properties that continue to work after you've rinsed. The active ingredient, chlorhexidine gluconate, helps to boost the body's ability to heal damaged tissue.

Antibiotics

As gum disease progresses, it begins to create "pockets," spaces between the teeth and gums. This in turn provides more places for food debris to collect and infection to spread. Your periodontist may use site specific antibiotics to help heal your gum tissue. This particular periodontal disease treatment isn't like most medication regimens: the antibiotic is actually placed in the pockets that have developed, immediately treating the infection at the source.

In severe cases, surgical procedures to repair the gum tissue may be necessary. A consultation with Dr. Peter Cooper, your periodontist in Pasadena, CA, will determine the best periodontal disease treatment for you. Give us a call today to schedule a consultation!

Pasadena, CA Dentist
Pasadena Dental Implants
175 S. El Molino, Suite 4
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 796-1241
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