Dental patient in chair

Periodontal Therapy

Diagnosing And Treating Gum Disease

While we make every effort to prevent periodontal disease in our patients, we offer empathetic and gentle periodontal therapy methods to treat it when it does occur. If you experience the uncomfortable symptoms of gum disease, our therapy methods prioritize non-invasive, effective periodontal therapy treatments to minimize your discomfort and prevent the progression of the disease. Dr. Minch, Dr. Newton and our team look forward to helping you manage your disease and take care of your gums, at home and in our office.

What is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease, also called gum disease, is a serious condition that affects the gums, mouth and teeth. When the gums are healthy, they are firm when you touch them, without any bleeding or swelling. However, when bacteria builds up on the teeth, it turns into a substance called plaque, which sticks to teeth and mineralizes into tarter. Tartar causes inflammation of the gums and bones that support your teeth, which in turn can affect the jawbone and lead to tooth loss. Symptoms include bleeding gums, redness and swelling of the gums, bad breath, loose teeth and gum recession, but most patients do not even experience any discomfort or symptoms until the disease has caused some degree of bone loss.

At Marc. A Minch, DMD, we take a holistic approach to your health and wellness. Chances are, if your mouth is not healthy, your body may suffer as well. Oral bacteria can have serious implications on your health. The presence of bacteria in the mouth is linked to heart disease, stroke, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and even cancer and can result in further complications for patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes. In treating gum disease, we prioritize your overall health!

Periodontal Disease Prevention

Because the condition is caused by the buildup of plaque on teeth, the good news is that periodontal disease is preventable. By practicing good hygiene at home and visiting us regularly, it can be avoided. Additionally, the earliest stage of the disease can be reversed if we catch it quickly enough.

Gum Disease Stages

There are several stages of the disease, which progress gradually. We aim to help our patients notice the warning signs of periodontal disease before it is too late, especially since the first stage is reversible with proper care. In the later stages where bone loss occurs, it is too late to reverse. However, these stages can be managed with consistent periodontal therapy. The stages of periodontal disease include:

  • Gingivitis: In this stage, patients may notice red gums that bleed during brushing or flossing. However, there typically is no pain and no bone loss sustained yet, making gingivitis reversible.

  • Mild periodontitis: During this stage, bacteria spreads below the gum line to the bone. The gums begin to pull away from the teeth, causing little pockets to appear where plaque can easily settle. These pockets are especially difficult to clean.

  • Moderate periodontitis: Patients begin to feel pain at this point, as bacteria begins to erode the ligaments in the bone, leading to bone loss. At this point, infection around the gum line and bad breath may occur.

  • Advanced periodontitis: If left untreated and allowed to worsen, bone loss will continue to occur, resulting in tooth loss and other serious health implications.

Diagnosing The Condition

Our dentists diagnose gum disease through an examination of your mouth and gums, looking for pockets in the gums and using a small device called a periodontal probe. A pocket that measures three millimeters in size indicates the presence of gum disease. We may also take a digital X-ray of your teeth to form an idea of bone damage. Our team is dedicated to helping you fight the disease and will develop a tailored treatment plan based on the severity of the disease. The goal is to keep you as comfortable as possible through periodontal therapy and at-home management of the disease.

Types Of Periodontal Therapy

In patients whose disease has progressed past gingivitis and bone loss is sustained, we recommend periodontal therapy. The goal of this treatment is to reduce bleeding, inflammation and prevent the condition from worsening. Therapies we offer at Marc. A Minch, DMD include:

  • Cleaning: For patients experiencing mild or early stages, we can typically get the condition under control after one or two visits with our dental team.

  • Root Planing And Scaling: This procedure involves cleaning or tartar and plaque below the gum line and the smoothing of tooth roots with the goal of reducing bacteria. To keep patients comfortable, our team will first numb the mouth by administering a local anesthetic. Once the root planing and scaling is complete, we will finish off the procedure by polishing the teeth.

  • TwinLight Periodontal Laser Treatment: This is a modern, less invasive, more comfortable and highly effective treatment option that we are proud to present to our patients. It works by using two wavelengths to remove diseased tissue, reduce bacteria, preserve healthy tissue and enhance healing.

Periodontal Home Care

Treating periodontal disease requires diligent and consistent care. Plaque can harden and mineralize on the teeth within 24 hours, and deep pockets caused by gum disease are especially difficult to effectively clean. Following your diagnosis and treatment, make sure to adhere to our dentists’ at-home instructions carefully in order to keep your gums and mouth comfortable. We may recommend:

  • Using medicated mouthwash
  • Visiting us three or four times a year for treatment
  • Visiting a periodontist

Frequently Asked Questions

Gum disease does not always announce itself with pain or obvious changes, which can make it difficult to know when something is wrong. Regular dental visits can help identify changes in your gums before the condition becomes more advanced. At Marc A. Minch, DMD, our team takes a health-centered and compassionate approach to diagnosing and treating gum disease, with the goal of keeping your gums healthy and your treatment as comfortable as possible. Here are answers to some common questions about periodontal disease and periodontal therapy.

How Do I Know If I Have Gum Disease?

Some of the most common signs of gum disease include red or swollen gums, bleeding when you brush or floss, persistent bad breath, gum recession or loose teeth. However, symptoms are not always obvious. In fact, many people do not experience discomfort until gum disease has already progressed and caused some degree of bone loss. During your dental examination, Dr. Minch and our team can look for signs of the disease and check for pockets around your gums. If we find gum disease, we will explain what we see and recommend the appropriate treatment.

You can. Gum disease can develop without causing noticeable pain or other symptoms, particularly in its earlier stages. This is one reason regular dental examinations are so important. Our dentists can look for changes in your gums and measure the pockets around your teeth to identify signs of periodontal disease. Digital X-rays may also help us evaluate potential bone damage. If we find a concern, we can explain what is happening and discuss ways to manage it with periodontal therapy before the condition progresses further.

The answer depends on how far the disease has progressed. Gingivitis is the earliest stage of gum disease and can be reversed with proper care because bone loss has not yet occurred. Once gum disease progresses to periodontitis and causes bone loss, the damage cannot be reversed. However, the condition can be managed with consistent periodontal therapy and good care at home. Dr. Minch and our team will evaluate the health of your gums and create a treatment plan based on the stage and severity of your periodontal disease.

Without periodontal therapy, gum disease can gradually become more advanced. As bacteria move below the gum line, inflammation can worsen and the gums may begin to pull away from the teeth. In later stages, the disease can lead to loose teeth and tooth loss by damaging the tissues and bone that support your teeth. Gum disease can also have implications for your overall health. If we identify periodontal disease, our goal is to treat it before it progresses and help you maintain your results through consistent professional and at-home care.

We understand that the idea of periodontal therapy may make you nervous, which is why patient comfort is an important part of our approach. The type of treatment you need will depend on the severity of your gum disease. For root planing and scaling, we use a local anesthetic to numb the area before treatment. We also offer TwinLight® Periodontal Laser Treatment, a less invasive option designed to provide effective treatment with less discomfort. Before beginning care, we will explain your treatment and help you understand what to expect.

Couple with healthy teeth smiling on beach

Health-Centered Dental Care

In Southeast Florida

We are proud to provide compassionate and personalized care with a gentle touch. Dr. Minch, Dr. Newton and our team use a health-centered and prevention-based approach to give you a healthy smile with an emphasis on sleep health.

(561) 732-1777

2620 S Seacrest Blvd., Suite C & D
Boynton Beach, Florida 33435

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