What is periodontal disease treatment?
Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection of the gums and bone that support the teeth, affecting roughly half of American adults over age 30. Treatment is staged: comprehensive evaluation with full-mouth probing depths and radiographs, followed by non-surgical scaling and root planing for early-to-moderate disease, with surgical pocket reduction or regeneration reserved for sites that don’t respond. Treated disease, maintained with regular follow-up, is compatible with keeping your teeth for life.
What periodontal disease is
A bacterial infection of the gums and bone that support your teeth. It progresses silently — bleeding gums, bad breath, and loose teeth are late signs. By the time you notice, significant attachment may already be lost.
Half of American adults over age 30 have some form of periodontal disease. Risk increases with age, smoking, diabetes, and family history. The good news: it’s treatable, and stable disease can be maintained for decades with good care.
How we evaluate
A complete periodontal evaluation includes full-mouth probing depths (the depth of the gum pocket around each tooth), bleeding indices, mobility assessment, and radiographs. We stage the disease using current AAP/EFP classifications and develop a treatment plan based on your specific findings.
Non-surgical treatment
For early-to-moderate periodontitis, the first line is scaling and root planing (SRP) — a deep cleaning under local anesthesia that removes bacteria and tartar from below the gumline. Sometimes adjunctive antimicrobial therapy is used.
After SRP we re-evaluate at 6–8 weeks. Many patients see significant improvement and need only ongoing periodontal maintenance. Those whose pockets remain deep may benefit from surgical treatment.
Surgical treatment
For pockets that remain deep after non-surgical care, pocket reduction surgery (osseous surgery) eliminates the bacterial reservoir and restores a maintainable architecture. In some cases, regenerative procedures with bone graft and/or biologics can regrow lost attachment around teeth that would otherwise be lost.
Common questions
Is periodontal disease painful?
Usually no — which is why it’s often advanced before patients realize. Bleeding gums, bad breath, and visible recession are common signs.
Will I lose my teeth?
Not necessarily. Most periodontal disease, when treated and maintained, is compatible with keeping your teeth for life. The earlier we intervene, the more we can save.
Do I need surgery?
Many patients respond well to non-surgical care alone. Surgery is reserved for sites where deep pockets remain after the first round of treatment.