Gum Disease Treatment in Brookline, MA
Protecting the Foundation of Your Smile
Periodontal therapy, also known as gum disease treatment, helps patients struggling with bleeding gums, chronic bad breath, and other common symptoms of gum disease. Using a special soft tissue laser, Dr. Sasson can easily target the affected areas and remove your infection. Gum disease treatment with a Biolase Waterlase laser is less invasive than periodontal care with a scalpel and stitches, which means a more comfortable experience and a much faster recovery.
With both decay and gum disease, early treatment matters. Left unaddressed, gum disease can lead to tooth loss and has been linked to other health problems throughout the body. As one of our core restorative dentistry services, gum disease treatment at Boston Smile Center starts with a customized plan built around your needs, with Dr. Sasson and our team focused on restoring your gum health comfortably.
Why Choose BOSTON SMILE CENTER for Gum Disease Treatment?
Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is similar to a routine dental cleaning except that it just focuses on your gumline and the tooth enamel underneath it. We’ll remove all of the bacteria-filled tartar deposits with scaling, and then the roots of the teeth will be smoothed out (or planed). Together, this helps stop an active infection, reduces the chance of it coming back, and helps the gums heal more quickly than they would otherwise.
Laser Periodontal Therapy
Dental lasers enable our dentists to treat gum disease with more precision and accuracy than ever before while keeping a patient extremely comfortable. A concentrated beam of light can quickly remove tartar as well as infected tissue while sanitizing and cauterizing the treatment area. This not only speeds up recovery compared to traditional methods, but it also ensures that the patient basically feels nothing while they are in the chair.
Signs and Symptoms of Gum Disease
Gum disease is often painless in its early stages, so many people have it without realizing it. Knowing the warning signs helps you get treatment early, when it is simplest and most effective. Schedule a visit with our Brookline team if you notice any of the following:
- Gums that bleed easily when you brush or floss.
- Red, swollen, or tender gums rather than firm and pink.
- Persistent bad breath or a bad taste that does not go away.
- Gums that have pulled away from the teeth, making teeth look longer.
- Loose or shifting teeth, or a change in how your teeth fit together when you bite.
- Increased sensitivity along the gumline.
Catching these signs early often means treatment can be as straightforward as a professional cleaning and improved home care. The longer gum disease goes untreated, the more involved treatment becomes, so it is always worth having symptoms checked.
Understanding the Stages: Gingivitis and Periodontitis
Gum disease develops in two main stages. Understanding the difference explains why early treatment is so valuable.
Gingivitis is the early stage. The gums become red, swollen, and bleed easily, but the supporting bone has not yet been affected. At this point gum disease is still reversible. A professional cleaning combined with consistent brushing and flossing is often enough to restore healthy gums.
Periodontitis is the advanced stage. If gingivitis is left untreated, the infection spreads below the gumline and begins to damage the tissue and bone that hold your teeth in place. Pockets form between the gums and teeth, and over time teeth can loosen or shift. Periodontitis cannot be fully reversed, but it can be managed and stopped from progressing with treatments like scaling and root planing and laser periodontal therapy.
Because the early stage is reversible and the advanced stage is not, the best outcomes come from treating gum disease as soon as possible. If you are due for a checkup or have noticed any symptoms, our Brookline team can evaluate your gum health and recommend the right level of care.