Non-surgical vs. Surgical

How can we treat this disease?

You have a few different options to choose from when deciding what treatment plan is right for your condition. Treatment plans will always vary with the stage of your periodontal disease, bone loss, and chartings.

Non-Surgical

Treatments such as scaling and root planing or the use of antibiotics, create conditions that are conducive to healing the tissues in the mouth. This is achieved by reducing plaque, infection and other causes of periodontal disease. Primarily, these treatments are the prescribed course of action for mild cases of gum disease. If successful, they will eliminate your need for surgery. However, if your periodontal issues are of a more serious nature, these treatments will fall short in bringing your gums and mouth back to a good state of health.

Surgical

Many dentists and Periodontists perform a technique called Flap Surgery. In this procedure, the gum line is cut away in order to reduce the pocket depth. The doctor may also have to reshape or smooth out the bone structure. The biggest problem with this method is the recession of the gum line. The doctor has no way of removing ONLY the bacteria! He/She has to cut away healthy tissue along with the bacteria resulting in teeth that look longer and abnormal. Patients also complain of sensitivity when eating or drinking anything too cold or too hot. The pain for this procedure can be considerable and the recovery time lengthy. Many patients have said that they would rather lose a tooth than have flap surgery!