A Gentle, Noninvasive Approach to Treating Gum Disease

Dental technology is always advancing at a rapid pace, with new treatment options continually becoming available to improve your oral health outcomes and patient experience. Laser gum disease treatment is one such advancement, and it is an incredibly effective option that can stop the progression of gum disease.

The Importance of Gum Disease Treatment

Many people aren’t fully aware of how serious gum disease can be. Gum disease progresses through a number of stages, starting with gingivitis. In the earliest stages, the most serious symptoms are bad breath, sore gums, and potential bleeding during brushing and flossing.

However, this is just the beginning. As the bacteria responsible for gum disease continue to grow in greater numbers, the infection becomes much more serious. It penetrates deeper into the gumline, causing your gums to recede from your teeth and form pockets.

Those pockets provide shelter for bacteria, making gum disease progress even more quickly. Eventually, your teeth can become loose and fall out as a consequence of untreated gum disease.

As with many other oral health conditions, gum disease is best treated early. Having a good oral health routine and seeing your dentist regularly can help prevent gum disease, and a variety of treatments can be used to stop progression in the early stages.

Traditional Gum Disease Treatment

There are several different treatment options for gum disease that largely depend on how advanced the condition is in any individual patient. The earliest stages of gingivitis might only require improved oral hygiene and routine dental cleaning. However, further treatment is needed as the condition progresses.

Early gum disease can be effectively mitigated through scaling and root planing. These treatments are used to eliminate bacteria and reduce the likelihood of gum disease taking hold again.

Scaling is the first step. It’s similar to a routine dental cleaning. The dentist will use a variety of tools to scrape plaque and tartar deposits from the surface of the teeth. These deposits are formed by and harbor bacteria, contributing to both gum disease and tooth decay. 

Scaling differs from a routine dental cleaning in that special tools are used to reach deep into the pockets formed by gum disease, removing bacteria there as well.

Root planing is then used to reduce the likelihood of gum disease recurring. Other tools are used to smooth the surface of the teeth below the gumline. The smooth surface is more difficult for bacteria to form deposits on, preventing them from accumulating and causing gum disease once again.

The Laser Gum Disease Treatment Process

Dental lasers are widely used in many different laser gum surgery procedures and can provide a better experience and improved outcomes during gum disease treatment. Laser gum disease treatment generally isn’t implemented on its own but is instead an important step in your overall gum disease treatment.

The laser is used to remove infected and inflamed gum tissue in the affected area. The unique precision of dental lasers makes it possible to target only diseased tissue, leaving healthy tissue intact.

Removing the damaged tissue can help open up pockets, allowing the dentist to then carry out scaling and root planing as usual. Combining these procedures provides a robust approach to gum disease treatment that eliminates infection as thoroughly as possible.

Laser gum surgery also provides faster healing. The laser stimulates the formation of blood clots, an important part of the natural healing process. In doing so, the need for stitches or other measures is avoided.

The Benefits of Laser Treatment

Laser gum disease treatment is becoming a very popular option for gum disease treatment—and it isn’t hard to see why. It provides a wide range of benefits that deliver an overall better treatment experience for patients.

Short recovery time is one of the top benefits of laser gum disease treatment. Patients are also able to undergo treatment without the need for general anesthetic like other types of gum surgery.

Additionally, laser treatment is less invasive than other treatment options. This leads to less swelling, bleeding, and pain than regular gum surgery. There’s also no need for stitches or sutures, meaning patients don’t have to come back to have them removed.

Removing diseased tissue stimulates healthy gum tissue to heal properly, which can help naturally close pockets caused by gum disease. This helps reduce the risk of recurring gum disease  and can also leave you with a more even-looking smile.

The Best Dentist in Virginia Beach for Laser Treatment

If you think you might be suffering from the symptoms of gum disease, it’s best to seek out treatment as soon as possible. King Dental provides laser dentistry for gums, along with a wide range of other treatment options. We can determine the best treatment plan for your needs and help you enjoy a healthy smile. Contact us today to book your appointment.