More than 42% of Americans over 30 are facing gum diseases, with over 8% of them facing severe periodontal problems. Things are no different for several California residents with periodontal problems. Nevertheless, medical science has discovered several periodontal procedures that can help people get rid of gum-related problems.
If you live in Riverside County, you can consult a professional dentist in San Jacinto, CA, for periodontal treatment and get rid of the problems that have been bothering your gums and teeth.
Who needs periodontal treatment?
Dentists who specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating various periodontal or gum-related problems and diseases are called periodontists. They have specific skills and expertise that can help those facing one or more of the following symptoms.
- Gums that are swollen and appear puffy
- People experiencing bad breath, a condition called halitosis
- Gums that feel tender to touch
- Reddish or purple gums
- Experiencing pain while chewing
- Gums that can bleed very easily
- Loose or knocked-out teeth
- Change in the way how your upper and lower jaw teeth sit on each other
- Infection and pus around the gum line
- Gums pulling away from teeth, a condition called gum recession
- Increased gap between the teeth
Common periodontal procedures
Periodontal disease, also known as periodontitis, is often the result of poor oral hygiene. Poor oral hygiene leads to plaque and tartar accumulation in the mouth, which acts as the breeding ground for the bacteria and leads to infection in teeth, gums, and roots.
Periodontitis, if not treated timely, can cause severe problems, causing tooth loss, bone loss, and other health issues like stroke, heart disease, and much more. Depending on the condition of the patient, dentists may opt for one or more of the following procedures to eliminate disease and associated symptoms.
Surgical treatments
Periodontal surgical treatments include four main procedures- gum grafting, bone grafting, crown lengthening, and pocket reduction procedures. The gum grafting procedure involves using tissues from the palate to cover the exposed roots to restore lost gum tissues.
The bone grafting procedure uses bone parts from other parts of your body or artificial material to restore the bone lost due to periodontal disease. Crown lengthening involves reducing the size of gums to make your teeth appear longer.
The pocket reduction procedure involves folding back the gum tissues to fill the larger gaps caused due to gum recession. It prevents bacteria from harboring in the space and protects teeth from damage.

Non-surgical treatments
Scaling and root planing is the main non-surgical periodontal procedure, which involves the dentist performing a deep cleaning of teeth root surfaces, i.e., the area below the gum line, to remove plaque and bacteria from the periodontal pockets.
After completing the scaling procedure, the dentist goes for root planing, which is the process of smoothing the teeth roots to prevent further accumulation of plaque and bacteria. Apart from this, laser treatments and tray delivery systems are also popular non-surgical periodontal procedures.
Dental implants
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that act as bases for prosthetic teeth like crowns, dentures, and bridges. Dental implants are suitable when the patient does not have sufficient gum bone structure to support the natural teeth.
In such cases, the dentist extracts the affected natural tooth and replaces it with an artificial one by anchoring it to the dental implant, which is usually made using metals like titanium.
Cosmetic dentistry
Cosmetic dentistry can resolve periodontal issues like uneven gum lines, exposed teeth roots, and uneven teeth spacing due to tooth loss. They may require using local anesthesia as the dentist has to make incisions in the gums and palate for these procedures.
Final takeaway
While periodontal procedures can help you get rid of gum disease and other gum-related problems, maintaining proper gum care is essential to ensure long-lasting results. As soon as you heal after a periodontal procedure, you must rinse your mouth properly, brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day, and take a healthy diet to ensure good oral health.