Periodontal Exams

With an emphasis on periodontal disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, Dr. Santilli has experience recognizing anything from gingivitis to the most extreme periodontal disease. Any disease of the gums can cause long-term damage to the teeth, ligaments, and bone if left untreated, as gum disease is one of the leading causes of tooth loss. To combat this issue, schedule annual dental visits with us to examine your dental health and remove plague and tartar from your teeth.

There are numerous factors that put you at risk to develop gingivitis or periodontal disease, including the following:

Irregular dentist visits
Chronic and untreated infections
Poor dental hygiene
Uncontrolled diabetes
Misaligned teeth
Nicotine use
Poor genetics

If you’ve developed sore or bleeding gums, frequent bad breath and mouth sores, you may be a victim of gum disease. If so, schedule an appointment to see Dr. Santilli for a thorough examination and to go over periodontal disease treatment options.

Periodontal Disease Treatment

The first treatment recommended for patients who have gum disease is scaling and root planing, or deep cleaning. This deep cleaning procedure removes plaque, tartar, and bacterial buildup from beneath the gumline and down to the bottom of the tooth pocket. The root surface of the tooth is then smoothed to allow the gum tissue to reattach to the tooth. After two months, Dr. Santilli reexamines the area to ensure the tissue has healed properly. If further treatment is required, we will go over all options with the patient. For those who are weary of dental work, we have the option of using local anesthesia to reduce discomfort during the root planing and scaling process.

Offering a unique and gentle approach to dental care, Dr. Santilli and his team of caring professionals take the time to perform procedures correctly and educate patients on proper homecare. If healing is not at an acceptable level after the homecare period, we provide referrals to one of the area’s top periodontists.