Route map Save line · S2 to S4
Gum therapy
Most gum disease can be treated and the tooth kept. This line is the order we try things in: the least we can do first, and more only if your pockets say so.
- S1 Exam and pocket charting
- S2 Scaling and root planing
- S3 Pocket reduction or regeneration
- S4 Gum graft
- Replace line, S5 to S7
Signs worth a visit
- Gums that bleed when you brush or floss
- Red, swollen or tender gums
- Bad breath that won’t go away
- Gums pulling back; teeth that look longer
- Teeth that feel loose or have shifted
- Pain when you chew, or sensitive teeth
Gum disease often has no pain at all early on. That’s why we measure.
Cross-section of one tooth with a Williams-style probe (marks at 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 mm). Drawing, not to clinical scale.
S1 · How we measure
A blunt probe, six spots a tooth, read in millimeters.
The probe slides gently between gum and tooth until it meets resistance. The mark at the gum line is the reading. This drawing shows a 6 mm pocket on one side and a healthy one on the other.
- 1–3 mmhealthy
- 4–5 mmearly pocket
- 6+ mmdeep pocket
General ranges. We read every number alongside bleeding, x-rays and how the tooth moves.
S2 · Gum therapy · nonsurgical
Scaling and root planing
- What it is
- A deep cleaning below the gumline. We remove plaque and tartar from the roots, where a brush and floss can’t reach, and smooth the root so the gum can tighten around it again.
- Who it’s for
- Pockets of about 4 mm or more, gums that bleed when you brush, and tartar below the gumline on x-rays.
- How it goes
- Usually two visits, one side of the mouth each, about an hour and a half with local anesthetic. A few weeks later we chart your pockets again.
- After
- Gums can be tender for a day or two. Many people need nothing more than this and regular maintenance.
S3 · Gum therapy · surgical
Pocket reduction or regeneration
- What it is
- When a pocket stays deep after cleaning, we fold the gum back, clean the root and bone, and fit the gum snugly again. Where bone has been lost, a graft, membrane or protein gel can help rebuild some of it.
- Who it’s for
- Pockets that stay deep at re-check (often 6 mm or more), or a bone defect around a tooth worth keeping.
- How it goes
- One visit per area, with local anesthetic and sedation if you’d like it. Stitches come out in one to two weeks.
- After
- Soft foods for a few days and a special rinse. We check healing at one and four weeks.
S4 · Gum therapy · root coverage
Gum graft
- What it is
- Gum tissue, often taken from the roof of your mouth or from a donor-tissue material, is moved over a root that has become exposed, or used to thicken thin gum.
- Who it’s for
- Gums that have pulled back from a tooth, roots that are sensitive or exposed, or thin gum next to an implant.
- How it goes
- One visit, about an hour per area, with local anesthetic. We tell you beforehand which donor option fits your gum.
- After
- Cool, soft foods for a week; no brushing on the graft until we say so. A covered root is better protected from decay and may feel less sensitive.
Then the loop: periodontal maintenance.
After S4
Then, maintenance
After treatment, periodontal maintenance keeps it stable: a cleaning down into the pockets and a re-chart, often every three to four months at first. The interval is set by how your gums respond, not a calendar.
Three questions we hear on this line
Q1What’s the difference between a cleaning and a deep cleaning?
A regular cleaning works above the gumline and just below it. Scaling and root planing cleans the root surfaces down inside the pocket, under local anesthetic, so the gum can tighten around the tooth again.
Q2Can gum disease be cured?
Gingivitis, the earliest stage, can usually be reversed with a professional cleaning and good daily care. Periodontitis is usually managed for life: treated, then kept stable with maintenance visits every few months.
Q3Does smoking or diabetes change things?
Yes. Smoking is one of the strongest risk factors for gum disease and makes treatment less likely to work. Diabetes also raises the risk. We plan around both; tell us at the first visit.