TL;DR
Treatment depends on the stage. Gingivitis is reversed with a professional cleaning and better home care. Periodontitis usually starts with scaling and root planing, which clears tartar and bacteria from the roots under the gums, sometimes supported by Perio Protect trays that carry prescribed medication into the pockets at home. A few weeks later the gums are measured again. Most cases settle with nonsurgical care; stubborn deep pockets may need a periodontist. Stone Falls Dental Care in O’Fallon checks your insurance benefits first and offers CareCredit and other payment options.
How is gum disease treated?
Gum disease is treated by removing the bacteria and tartar that drive it, then keeping the pockets clean enough for the tissue to heal. The approach is matched to what your periodontal exam found, so the plan for puffy, bleeding gums looks very different from the plan for deep pockets and bone loss.
Nonsurgical care comes first. For most people it is enough to stop the disease from progressing, and it is the foundation even when more is needed later. Every plan also looks at what is feeding the infection, from home care habits to tobacco and blood sugar, because treatment works best when those are addressed at the same time.
How is gingivitis treated?
Gingivitis is treated with a thorough professional cleaning and a few weeks of careful daily brushing and flossing. Because the inflammation has not yet damaged bone or detached the gum, the tissue can return to full health once the plaque and tartar are gone.
Part of the visit is practical coaching: where your brush is missing, which interdental cleaner suits the spaces between your teeth, and how to angle the bristles into the gumline. Small changes, made every day, matter more here than any product. A short recheck a few weeks later confirms the bleeding has stopped and the gums have firmed up.
What are the nonsurgical options for periodontitis?
The core nonsurgical treatment for periodontitis is scaling and root planing, often called a deep cleaning. With the area numb, tartar and bacteria are cleaned from the roots inside the pockets and the root surfaces are smoothed so the gum can tighten back against them.
Depending on the depth and spread of the pockets, other measures can support that work. One we offer is Perio Protect, custom trays that hold prescribed medication against the gums for a few minutes a day at home. The options below are often used together.
- Scaling and root planing, usually in sections of the mouth
- Antimicrobial medication placed directly into individual pockets
- Perio Protect trays worn at home between visits
- Smoothing or replacing fillings and crowns with edges that trap plaque
- Help quitting tobacco, and working with your physician on blood sugar
What happens if pockets don’t heal after a deep cleaning?
If some pockets stay deep after a deep cleaning, the next step is chosen tooth by tooth. Gums need time to settle, so they are measured again several weeks after treatment. Many pockets shrink by then, and the ones that do not show exactly where more attention is needed.
A pocket that remains deep may respond to a second round of localized cleaning, medication placed in that pocket, or closer use of medicated trays. Some cases need surgical care from a periodontist, a specialist in the gums and supporting bone, to reduce a pocket or rebuild lost tissue. If yours is one of them, we will explain why and what the specialist would do.
How do insurance and payment work for gum treatment?
Most dental plans cover part of periodontal treatment, and our treatment coordinators will check your benefits at no charge before you commit to anything. Stone Falls Dental Care accepts most plans, including United Concordia, TriCare, Delta and BCBS, and works with the various military insurance plans that many Scott Air Force Base families carry.
For the portion insurance does not cover, the practice takes cash, checks and major cards, and offers CareCredit, which has 0% promotional rates on approved credit, along with extended payment arrangements through DocPay. Our financial options page has the details.