Periodontics in Geneva, IL

A dental prophylaxis is when plaque, bacteria, and stains are removed from your teeth by a certified dental hygienist. During this treatment, the hygienist does not go under your gums to clean them out, which is usually not necessary for most healthy patients. During your regular dental cleanings, one of our dentists will also provide you with an oral exam, during which, the health of your gums and the surrounding tissue will be checked.

There are some patients who will require more than a regular prophylaxis. There are several different factors that can cause a patient to develop periodontal disease, including oral hygiene care, genetics, systemic diseases and pregnancy. Periodontal disease is an infection of your gums that is caused by harmful bacteria in your mouth. Mild cases include gingivitis and severe cases include periodontitis, in which the patient is likely to have suffered a significant loss of gum attachment, tooth loss, and bone loss.

You may need to be referred to a periodontist, depending on the progression of your periodontal disease. If the disease has been caught early enough, we offer periodontal therapy, which is called scaling and root planing. This consists of:

• 2-4 visits to our office for active therapy in while each quadrant of your mouth will be treated separately. Dental plaque, bacteria, and calculus will be removed from above and below the gum line and a dental laser will be utilized both during and after the therapy. You will be given an antibiotic mouth rinse to use at home, and you will be provided with instructions for how to use it.
• 4-6 weeks after you have finished your therapy, you will come back in to be re-evaluated. We will check your periodontal charting and will reevaluate the tissues. We will also perform a periodontal maintenance prophylaxis and for most patients, the therapy will have worked.

It is important to come in regularly after having periodontal treatment so you can avoid having a recurrence of the infection.  Periodontal maintenance usually entails a dental visit every 3 to 4 months. Visit our office today for more information on periodontics in Geneva, IL.