To ensure that your natural teeth last a lifetime, it is vital to keep them clean and free of disease. We provide our patients with gentle, thorough cleanings and efficient gum disease treatment called periodontal care.

Proper diagnosis is an important part of gum disease treatment. The McKinney Dentist, Dr. Prida is skilled at detecting gum disease early so it can be effectively treated. This, combined with educating you on what to do to keep your teeth and gums healthy at home, will help you keep your teeth for life.

Gum Disease Treatment Gentle Teeth Cleaning

Teeth cleaning is highly effective in maintaining a healthy mouth and helps prevent many oral health issues. In the very early stages - when it is gingivitis - you may just need a professional cleaning from our dental team. They can also give you some great advice and tips on how you can keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Our hygienist is knowledgeable and caring, and will listen carefully, perform a gentle dental cleaning and will educate you on how to keep your smile healthy.

Oral Health Patient Education

Understanding what causes tooth decay, gum disease and other oral health problems is an important factor. Our hygienist explains and demonstrates correct brushing and flossing techniques. We want you to have the knowledge needed to maintain your teeth and gums in a healthy state for the rest of your life.

It's very important that you brush and floss every day - especially if you are healing from gum disease with soft bristles and a toothpaste with fluoride. Fluoride is a mineral that helps keep teeth strong. Clean between your teeth every day to remove plaque and bits of food from in between your teeth.

Comprehensive Oral Health Diagnosis

There are many steps involved in properly diagnosing gum disease. Gum disease treatment called periodontal care starts by gathering data about the condition of your gums through periodontal probing. This is a procedure used to measure the depth of the gum pockets around each tooth. The deeper the pocket, the more likely gum disease is present. We use X-rays and we chart any inflammation, bleeding and tooth movement.

Gum Disease Treatment

If your gum disease is beyond gingivitis, the first step in treating gum disease usually involves scaling (SCAY-ling) and root planing (PLAY-ning). This periodontal care treatment may be done over more than one visit, depending on your personal needs.

• Scaling: Your dentist or hygienist removes plaque and tartar down to the bottom of each periodontal pocket.
• Root Planning: Then, the root surfaces of your teeth are smoothed, or "planed", to allow the gum tissue to heal and reattach to the teeth.

The procedures we use for mild to moderate gum disease treatment are called scaling and root planning. For the scaling process, we use an ultrasonic scaler. This instrument is much more comfortable and effective than traditional scalers, which rely on scraping the teeth surfaces. The ultrasonic scaler uses gentle, ultrasonic waves to kill bacteria and remove tartar and plaque from your teeth. When scaling is complete, we plane the root surfaces, leaving the root smooth and clean. Bacteria cannot adhere to a clean, smooth tooth root.

Gum disease occurs when bacteria and tartar build up between the gums and the teeth. When it goes untreated, the buildup will increase, causing the gums to become inflamed, pull away from the teeth and create gum pockets. This can lead to bone loss and tooth loss. Once we've made the proper diagnosis, we will decide on the best treatment option for your case. For most patients, we will treat your gum disease non-surgically in our office. Schedule your appointment today.

Call 214-613-1500