Periodontal Treatment in Phoenix, AZ

If your gums bleed when you’re brushing or flossing your teeth, it can be a sign of periodontal disease. More commonly known as periodontitis, periodontal disease happens when decay-causing bacteria begins to eat at your gums and teeth, destroying the tissue.

Then, pockets can form surrounding each tooth, which calls for aggressive periodontal treatment.

What are Periodontal Pockets?

Our teeth are under attack from bacteria every day. If you don’t brush your teeth well, then the plaque, which is a yellowish liquid, can dry on your teeth and form tartar. Tartar build-up can lead to tooth decay which can lead to periodontitis if you don’t have our dentists at Arizona Family Dentistry treat it.

As decay ravages your teeth, the gums can get infected and cause the formation of pockets at the gum line. Sometimes you will notice your gums recede around the gum, and the roots begin to show. If your teeth are not treated then, the gums will begin to form pockets around the roots and bacteria can sit in them and eat away at your teeth and jawbones.

Healing Pockets

With treatment, when pockets begin to form, our dentists in Phoenix, AZ can heal the pockets and re-mineralize your teeth. To help heal pockets in their forming stages, our dentists will do a deep cleaning, otherwise known as scaling and root planing cleaning. This type of cleaning removes plaque and tartar, which toothbrushes cannot remove.

Then, he or she will prescribe an oral or topical antibiotic to clear up the infection. For deeper pockets, more aggressive treatment may be necessary. After the scaling and root planing, one of our dentists at Arizona Family Dentistry in Phoenix, AZ may need to resort to surgery to tighten the gums around your teeth.

If that’s the case, he or she will clean out the tartar inside the pocket, then pull the flap of excess gum tighter around the teeth, and then suture the gums together. The gum flap will need a few days to heal, and the stitches will take about seven to 10 days to dissolve.

If you see indications of periodontal disease, you need to see one of our dentists at Arizona Family Dentistry in Phoenix, AZ as soon as possible to start treating it.