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Periodontal Therapy – San Marcos, CA

Bleeding or Sore Gums?
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If you see a small amount of blood whenever your brush and floss your teeth, or if your gums have been red and swollen recently, it could mean that you have early-stage gum disease. At first the symptoms will seem like minor irritants, but over time you might suffer from gum recession or even tooth loss. Severe gum disease is also linked to a number of other health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. If you want to keep your smile and the rest of your body safe, get in touch with
Dr. Howard at the first sign of a gum infection for periodontal therapy in San Marcos, CA.

Woman with healthy smile after periodontal therapy

Why Choose Nelson Y. Howard, D.D.S. for Periodontal Therapy?

Scaling & Root Planing

Animated scaling and root planing process

When you’re suffering from gum disease, a significant amount of bacteria-filled tartar will build up underneath your gum line. A deep cleaning – also known as scaling and root planing – will more likely than not be required to remove this harmful substance from the roots of your teeth. After the tartar is broken up and removed during the scaling process, root planing is performed to reshape the roots of the teeth, removing the rough surfaces that may invite bacterial buildup in the future.

Diode Laser Therapy

Patient receiving diode laser periodontal therpay

In recent years, diode lasers have transformed the way dentists across the country treat gum disease. We can use the laser to remove the infected tissues in your gum pockets; the heat from the beam will sterilize the area, killing harmful bacteria to lower the risk of the infection returning. This form of treatment promotes the healing of gum pockets. It also causes far less discomfort than treatments performed with traditional metal instruments. In fact, in many cases, the mouth doesn’t even need to be numbed beforehand!

Arestin Antibiotic Therapy

Animated Arestin antibiotic periodontal therapy process

A deep cleaning is often followed up with antibiotic therapy in order to continue fighting infectious oral bacteria while your mouth is healing. We generally use Arestin microspheres for periodontal therapy. The spheres all contain medication that is released slowly over time. Unlike other antibiotics that must be swallowed, Arestin is applied locally to where it is needed most: at the site of the actual infection. Combining antibiotic therapy with a deep cleaning has been shown to help reduce pocket size at a faster rate.

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