Dr. Holly Gregory at Northeast Houston Implants is committed to treatment and prevention of gum disease.

The more technical term used for gum disease is “periodontal disease.”  There are several ways to treat gum disease, some are more invasive than others.  Treatment options include a deep cleaning and “planing” of the gums, the placement of antibiotics under the gums, gum surgery, or laser gum treatment. Of the methods listed, laser treatment is the least invasive, less painful option.

Periodontal disease is caused by many factors. Your effectiveness at brushing and flossing, diet and even genetics play a role in your being prone to having some form of gum disease. The main culprit causing gum infection is the different types of bacteria found in one’s mouth.  Health conditions and habits can help foster the progress of gum disease in your mouth such as diabetes, teeth grinding, and even the positioning of one’s teeth may contribute to the development of periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease can lead to the formation of deep pockets around the teeth. Everyone has pockets around their teeth, but these pockets are typically only 1-3mm deep when the gums are healthy. When a pocket around a tooth gets deeper than 3mm it becomes extremely difficult to clean out the bacteria and food that collect at the base of the pocket. This material causes inflammation at the base of the pocket which leads to the pocket growing even deeper. This is the start of a cycle that continues until the pockets get so deep that the inflammation starts to cause bone loss around the tooth.  This can happen to otherwise healthy teeth.  In fact, there may be nothing wrong with a tooth, but the infection can lead to a tooth becoming loose, causing teeth to shift.  Without proper treatment, the outcome of this cycle is that a tooth or several teeth will have to be extracted because it has too little support.

Traditional treatment of advanced periodontal disease usually begins through a procedure known as scaling and root planing. Dr. Gregory is one of only a few periodontist in Houston that can treat gum disease using advanced laser technology.  The advantage of laser treatment is that compared to other methods of treatment like scaling and planing, it has a very low level of pain associated with it. Unlike some other forms of treatment, those who have laser gum treatment are usually able to return to work the same day of the procedure.

Here is a video that describes traditional periodontal gum disease treatment.  Dr. Gregory can discuss with you your options for either laser gum treatment or scaling and planing or other gum surgery.

Gingival Recession

Scaling and Root Planing

Come see Dr. Gregory if you are needing treatment for gum disease. Laser treatment is definitely a treatment option you should explore. If laser treatment will work for you, you’ll have much less discomfort in and around your gums after the surgery.