Periodontal Treatment - INDIANAPOLIS, IN

Don’t Let Your Smile Fall Apart

Gum Disease Affects Teeth, Bone, and More

Gums act as a vital protective barrier for your teeth—and your greater health. If bacteria are allowed to flourish on them, you can develop periodontal disease, or gum disease. There are a variety of reasons this can happen: poor dental hygiene, tobacco use, preexisting health conditions, or genetic factors. Left untreated, it can result in tooth loss and jawbone deterioration. Gum disease becomes incurable at an advanced stage and has even been shown to be a contributing factor for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. The West 10^th Dental Group is equipped to provide exceptional periodontal treatment in Indianapolis, IN.

Our multispecialty team includes a board-certified periodontist, a specialist in diagnosing and treating issues of the gums. To become a periodontist, a dentist must complete at least three years of advanced specialty training. Board certification signifies that a periodontist “has made significant achievements beyond the mandatory educational requirements of the specialty.” They must also complete many hours of continuing education each year to maintain certification. When it comes to periodontal treatment, no practitioner has greater expertise. We can restore your gum health and even make you a candidate for dental implants, if needed, through gum disease treatment.

Telltale Gum Disease Signs

Featured Periodontal Treatments

LANAP® Laser Gum Disease Treatment

LANAP®, or Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure, is an FDA-approved laser periodontal treatment that we use to instantly eradicate infection without harming the adjacent tissue. Our team has completed special training in the PerioLase® MVP-7™ laser system, the only dental laser that can deliver the full benefits of LANAP. Using this innovative protocol, we can treat you without scalpels and sutures.

Scaling and Root Planing

If dental plaque is given the chance to flourish beneath your gumline your gums and teeth can disconnect from one another, creating deep pockets. With scaling we remove all of the plaque buildup. After this, we do root planing, a process in which we smooth down the affected tooth’s root enamel to prevent bacteria from developing in tiny cracks and grooves. Following scaling and root planing your gums will be able to reattach to your teeth.

Periodontal Maintenance

After you complete your initial gum disease treatment, we’ll schedule you to return to see us for recurring periodontal maintenance up to four times each year. During these appointments, we do additional scaling and root planing to clear away any bacteria that may have accumulated since your last visit and to prevent reinfection.

Osseous Surgery (Flap Surgery)

In cases of advanced gum disease, we may have to perform surgery. During osseous surgery we retract your gum tissue to access large, difficult-to-reach periodontal pockets. While your gum tissue is pulled back, we also remove tartar and untreatable sections of infected gum tissue. We may also reshape and rebuild parts of your jawbone with bone grafting to facilitate recovery and gum reattachment.

Gingivectomy

Bacteria-releasing tartar can cause your gums to separate from your teeth. With a gingivectomy, we remove all diseased tissue and signs of infection to allow your gums and teeth to grow together again.

Gum Grafting

The gum recession that goes along with gum disease or aggressive brushing can make your gumline uneven and your teeth temperature-sensitive. Worse still, it can make you more likely to suffer tooth loss and jawbone bone loss. To prevent this, we take small portions of soft tissue from either your palate or from in front of teeth that have excessive gum coverage and attach them anywhere you’ve lost gum tissue. These gum grafts eventually fuse with the adjoining gum tissue, restoring your gumline.

Frenectomy

You have two slender pieces of tissue called frenula in your mouth. One attaches your upper lip to your upper gums. The second anchors your tongue to the bottom of your mouth. If either of these isn’t long enough, your ability to eat and speak comfortably may be inhibited. You may also be unable to have orthodontic treatment. With a frenectomy we remove the restrictive tissue, enabling you to eat and speak without interference. We typically provide frenectomies for ages 12 and up but can perform them on infants when necessary.

Gum Health Is More Crucial Than You May Know

Count on us to restore and protect it.