Non-Surgical Gum Therapy in Gig Harbor, WA

A man smiling after his gum treatment

Gum disease – it’s one of the biggest oral health problems that Americans suffer from today. The first stage of gum disease is gingivitis, which symptoms include inflamed and bleeding gums. During this stage, gum disease can be easily reverse by practicing good oral hygiene … Click to go to the page of oral hygiene … , such as brushing and flossing.

As gum disease progresses, it develops into periodontal disease, which is more serious. During this stage, the infection starts to impact the underlying tissues that support your teeth. Pockets will begin to form as your gums recede, and your teeth will loosen as the bone starts to break down. Eventually, your teeth will fall out.

As scary as this sounds, this can easily be prevented by brushing and flossing every day. Proper oral hygiene is the best way to prevent gum disease. However, in cases where gum disease has become severe, we may recommend more aggressive therapies, such as non-surgical gum therapy. Non-surgical gum treatment uses stronger treatments to eliminate the harmful bacteria that have built up underneath the surface of teeth and below the gumline.

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These techniques include:

  • Local Medication: Local medication may be injected into the infected sites if a lot of bacteria has built up.
  • Curettage: This is the process of removing diseased soft tissue surrounding the tooth. By eliminating the infected tissues, we are allowing new healthy tissue to grow.
  • Root-planing: Another aggressive technique that removes and smoothes tiny amounts of the root surface. This process helps clean the soft tissues that surround the tooth.

Curettage and root-planing are usually performed at the same time. You will be given local anesthesia to remain comfortable during your procedure. Our skilled hygienist team will provide tips to improve your oral hygiene so that your gums will stay healthy between visits.

Because gum disease progresses gradually, chances are you will need multiple procedures done. This allows us to monitor your condition and ensure your gums heal properly. If your gum disease is serious, we may recommend a periodontist for surgical intervention.

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