Gum treatment — periodontics
Gum treatment stops inflammation and bone loss by removing calculus and deposits from the root surface in areas where pocket depth has reached 4 mm or more.
- Procedure time
- 45–60 minutes per session
- Anaesthesia
- Local anaesthetic for deep cleaning
- Recovery
- 2–5 days of sensitivity
- Sessions
- 2–4 sessions, quadrant by quadrant
- How long it lasts
- Maintained with three- to six-monthly reviews
The ground beneath the aesthetics
As gum disease progresses, the bone holding the tooth resorbs. That means the ground a crown sits on is subsiding; however well the aesthetic work is done, it will not last.
A periodontal assessment before any cosmetic dental treatment is therefore compulsory at Ariana Health Center. No aesthetic treatment begins until the gum is healthy — which can mean the plan you were given from photographs takes longer than you hoped.
The stages of treatment
The first stage is measuring pocket depths at six points around every tooth. 1–3 mm is considered healthy; areas at 4 mm and above need deep cleaning.
Then calculus removal and root surface debridement are done, quadrant by quadrant, usually over 2–4 sessions. In advanced cases surgery, bone grafting or guided tissue regeneration may be needed.
- Pocket depth charting and assessment of bone level by radiograph
- Calculus removal and root surface debridement (2–4 sessions)
- Re-measurement and assessment of the response after 4–6 weeks
- A surgical stage and regenerative procedures if needed
- A three- to six-monthly maintenance programme
Smoking and diabetes
Smoking is the strongest modifiable risk factor in gum disease. Because it constricts the blood vessels, it masks warning signs such as bleeding and markedly reduces the response to treatment.
Uncontrolled diabetes impairs wound healing in the same way; periodontal disease and blood glucose control each make the other worse. Both are discussed as part of the treatment plan rather than noted and ignored.
Maintenance after treatment
Periodontal treatment is not a job that finishes; it is a programme that continues. The first assessment is 4–6 weeks after treatment, when pockets are re-measured to see which areas have responded.
Maintenance is then planned every three to six months. That interval follows the severity of the disease and the quality of your daily care. Where maintenance is skipped, recurrence is expected — so if you are travelling for treatment, arrange the maintenance with a hygienist where you live before you fly home.
Who this is not for, and what not to expect
Periodontal treatment stops the progression; it does not by itself bring back lost bone or receded gum. Partial gain is possible in some areas with grafting or regenerative procedures, but not in every case.
Teeth that have lost most of their support and are markedly mobile may not be saved by treatment. For those teeth, extraction followed by an implant plan is a more correct decision than trying to prolong them.
- Receded gum — it does not come back on its own; coverage is attempted with a graft only in suitable cases
- Teeth that have lost most of their bone support and are markedly mobile — may not be saved
- Continued smoking — the response to treatment stays limited; no surgical stage is recommended without a plan to stop
- Uncontrolled diabetes — metabolic control comes first, because healing is impaired
- Anticoagulant use or a bleeding disorder — no surgical procedure is planned without the opinion of the doctor managing it
This page is general information and does not replace a clinical examination. The method, dose and timescale that apply to you are decided by a doctor after examining you.
Frequently asked questions
Will receded gum grow back?
Does scaling wear the teeth down?
Is bleeding from the gums normal?
How often should I be seen after treatment?
Pre-assessment
Describe your situation and we will answer with a measurement
Send a photograph or an X-ray. A doctor in the relevant speciality will reply with a graft range, a number of teeth or a dose range in units. If you are not suitable, we say so plainly.