Periodontal Disease Treatment

Hawthorne, CA

Our gums play an integral role in our oral health. So, when they’re infected, it can cause major problems. At Pacific Dental Aesthetics, we provide complete periodontal disease treatment to ensure your gums are at their healthiest.

At our Hawthorne, CA, dental office, our team is trained to care for every aspect of your smile. If you’re in need of gum disease treatment, contact us today to schedule an appointment.

What Is Periodontal Disease?

Also known as gum disease, periodontal disease is an infection of the gums. It can range from mild, causing minimal redness or swelling, to severe, causing tooth and jaw bone loss.

  • The first stage of gum disease is called gingivitis. During this stage, the infection is mild. Symptoms include red, swollen gums that bleed easily. 
  • The disease then progresses to mild periodontitis. Gums begin to recede from teeth during this phase, causing pockets to begin to open around teeth. 
  • Moderate periodontitis sees gums continue to recede, as well as the beginnings of loss of tooth structure. 
  • The final stage, advanced periodontitis, involves a large loss of gum tissue, destruction of the tooth structure, and even tooth loss.

How Is Periodontal Disease Diagnosed?

Periodontal disease is most often diagnosed during a routine exam. As part of your exam, your dental team takes measurements of the gum pockets around each tooth. This gives us a good indication of if gum disease is present. We will also look for other factors like plaque build-up or gums that bleed easily.

How Is Periodontal Disease Treated?

If we notice signs of gum disease, we will go over treatment options with you. During its early stages, gum disease is best treated with a deep cleaning where we remove build-up from below the gum line to help clear up infection.

Once it has progressed, we recommend soft-tissue laser therapy. With this treatment, we use a laser to remove the infected gum tissue around each tooth’s root, as well as the plaque build-up around each tooth. We then smooth out each tooth. Your gums will need time to heal after this treatment, but rest assured that your gum tissue will tighten back up, and the pockets around the teeth will close.

Maintaining Gum Health

As with your general oral health, the best line of defense against gum disease is prevention. Maintaining good gum health is always better than treating an in-progress infection. Gum health comes down to brushing and flossing. Make sure your brushing technique includes going past the gum line. It’s important to floss at least once a day, and make sure you remove any food particles left behind after eating as they can lead to an infection. If you notice signs of periodontal disease, like sensitive, swollen, or bleeding gums, call our office to schedule an appointment.

Give Your Gums Top-Notch Care

The Pacific Dental Aesthetics team is highly trained in treating periodontal disease. We want your entire mouth to be healthy, which is why we have a strong focus on gum health. As always, the treatment we provide is tailored to your needs. Contact us with any questions or to schedule a visit.

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