When would someone need Gum Therapy? 

It is possible that in spite of your best cleaning efforts, you may require additional gum therapy to treat gum disease. After a thorough periodontal screening and examination, we may choose more intensive gum therapies aimed at eliminating or reducing the amounts of bacterial poisons and plaque accumulating below the gum line, (generally, most of us clean and polish above the gumline in our daily tooth care routine).

Is Gum Therapy a surgical procedure? 

No; this deep-cleaning procedure is non-surgical, and uses a local anesthetic. In this procedure, plaque and tartar are scraped away (this is called “scaling”) and rough spots on the tooth root are smoothed out (this is called “planing”). Smoothing out the rough spots is important because this removes bacteria and provides a clean, smooth surface so that the gum can easily reattach to the teeth. 

How long does a Gum Therapy treatment take?

Gum disease does not happen over night and may need to be addressed over a series of treatments. Generally your condition is re-assessed after treatment and together we decide what your next treatment step will be. The Ogilvie Dental hygiene team will work with you to ensure you receive the care that best suits your needs. They will also help you hone your home-care skills so that you can maintain the health and radiance of your smile.