Periodontal Treatment in Petaluma, CA

Periodontal conditions are those that affect the gums and bones holding the teeth. Periodontal inflammation can range from very mild to very severe. In severe cases, there can be tooth decay, loosening, and even loss.

By treating periodontitis in its early stages, we can prevent complications. Treatment is also a lot easier at these stages. That’s why at Petaluma Dental Group in Petaluma, CA, we encourage patients to visit the dentist’s office regularly.

Conservative Treatment Options

Removing plaque and tartar is an important step, as these carry bacteria. This is done automatically to all of our patients in the Petaluma Dental Group during regular checkups. If you haven’t been to the dentist in a long time and there’s a lot of plaque buildup, this can take up to two visits.

Antibiotics that can be used either topically in the form of gels or rinses are another option. If a severe infection is present, we can prescribe oral (systemic) antibiotics.

Our goal is to eliminate the infection with the tools we have. Removing plaques is great for eliminating the source. Antibiotics kill bacteria present in your oral cavity.

Surgical Options

Surgery may be required in advanced periodontitis. Flap surgery, soft tissue grafting, and bone grafting are the most common ones done here at Petaluma Dental Group.

In flap surgery, we lift back a portion of your gums to expose the roots of your teeth. This allows us to scale them properly. Soft tissue grafts are used to replace gum loss. We can take tissue from your palate or other areas, and put in place of lost gum.

Those who have bone loss will need bone grafts. A bone graft follows the same idea as a soft tissue graft. We’ll take bone fragments from another bone in your body and place them in your jawbone. Alternatively, we can use synthetic bones as a replacement.

Periodontitis is very mild at its start. It can be treated in a short time and without too many steps. Advanced periodontitis, however, can be troublesome. In the most severe cases, patients suffer from bone loss and will need bone grafting.