
Periodontal disease, or gum disease, is considered an infection of teeth-supporting oral tissue. In the beginning, the symptoms (i.e. redness and swelling) may seem like no big deal. However, the advanced stages can develop quite rapidly, putting both your teeth and oral health at serious risk. At NU Dental Staten Island, Dr. Gizachew will create a treatment plan that addresses your infection at the source and gives your gums an opportunity to heal. Tired of inflamed or bleeding gums? Call our dental office to schedule an appointment for periodontal therapy in Staten Island, NY.
Buildup of plaque and tartar on teeth and gum tissue has long been linked to all levels of gum disease. To remove these harmful substances, whether they are above or beneath your gum line, we perform deep cleaning treatment. This includes scaling, which involves removing plaque and tartar with special dental instruments all the way down to the gum pockets in between your teeth. From there, we perform root planing, which requires smoothing the surfaces of the tooth roots so they can begin to reattach to the gums.
Once the scaling and root planing process is complete, we’ll place unique antibiotics in your periodontal pockets. This medicine, known as Arestin, is made up of multiple microspheres that contain medication. Over time, the medication slowly releases into the gums, killing any bacteria in its path. By doing this, we can protect your mouth following deep cleaning treatment and accelerate the healing process. Once it’s complete, you’ll come back to our dental office for a follow-up exam.
When gum disease has been present for a long time, pockets can form in the bone surrounding the teeth. In order to best eliminate these pockets as well as avoid additional damage, osseous surgery may be performed. Once the roots of the teeth are completely cleaned, we’ll reshape the surrounding bone tissue as well as perform bone grafting to replace lost bone tissue. To do this, we’ll need to open the gums, then place them back and suture them closed.