Periodontal Disease Treatment West Loop Chicago

Keep Your Gums Healthy
and Your Smile Happy

While many people tend to assume that oral health only refers to your teeth, the gums also play an incredibly important role in the longevity of your smile. Without healthy gums, your teeth wouldn’t stay in your mouth for very long. In the event your gums need professional attention, Washington Dental Care has solutions to stop issues like gum disease in its tracks. If you’ve noticed your gums becoming red, tender, inflamed, or sensitive, call our dental office today so we can take a closer look and provide gum disease treatment in West Loop Chicago.

Why Choose Washington Dental Care for Periodontal Disease Treatment?

  • Considerate Dentists Dedicated to Your Comfort
  • Targeted Antibiotic Therapy Available In-House
  • Comprehensive Scaling and Root Planing Performed

Scaling & Root Planing

Animated smile during scaling and root planing periodontal therapy

Since traditional brushing, flossing, and even professional cleanings aren’t enough to address gum infections, Dr. Hammes typically recommends scaling and root planing. Scaling uses dental instruments to gently clear away hardened plaque and tartar deposits from above and below the gum line, while root planing is intended to smooth out the roots of teeth to help them reattach to the gums and prevent the risk of future infection. Keep in mind that scaling and root planing is usually performed over multiple appointments, especially for more severe cases.

Do I Need Scaling & Root Planing?

a woman holding up her lip to show her inflamed gums

Scaling and root planing in West Loop Chicago is typically recommended for patients exhibiting either early or later signs of gum disease. These include:

  • Bleeding gums whenever you brush or floss your teeth.
  • Receding gums, which makes your teeth look longer.
  • Persistent bad breath.
  • A bad taste in the mouth.
  • Shifting or loose teeth.
  • Difficulty or discomfort while chewing.
  • Visible plaque and tartar accumulation.

We advise all of our patients to visit us for checkups and cleanings every six months. That way, we can spot early signs of gum disease and have them quickly treated with scaling and root planing, before the infection has an opportunity to progress.

The Scaling & Root Planing Process

a digital illustration showing how root planing works

Scaling and root planing takes place over the course of two appointments with Dr. Hammes. At your first visit, he’ll thoroughly clear all plaque and tartar from the surface of your teeth, as far down as the pockets of the gums, which is where bacteria love to hide.

The next part of the process is root planing, which is where Dr. Hammes will remove any hard pockets or bacteria from the roots of the teeth. In some cases, this will allow the gum tissue to healthily reattach to the teeth to protect the roots and prevent tooth loss. It will also slow or even stop the progression of the infection.

Aftercare Tips for Scaling & Root Planing

a man brushing his teeth

After the local anesthetic wears off following your treatment, you’ll likely experience some soreness and tenderness for the next several days. We recommend avoiding eating for at least two hours following your procedure and rinsing your mouth with salt water regularly throughout the day to help with any discomfort. We advise that you continue brushing your teeth as you normally would, while being mindful of not brushing too hard.

Arestin Antibiotic Therapy

Animated smile during Arestin antibiotic thearpy

As part of your gum therapy, we’ll also administer Arestin antibiotics in order to promote further healing of your oral tissue. To do this, we place tiny microspheres of antibiotic gel directly into the newly formed gum pockets that appear as a result of gum disease. Over the next several days, the spheres will slowly release the antibiotics into your gum tissue, healing it in between your follow-up appointments. When you come back, we’ll confirm that the antibiotics are working as intended.