Patient Services

Periodontics

Periodontics is the field of dentistry related to the gums and gum disease. The word comes from the Greek words peri meaning around and odons meaning tooth. Literally taken, it means study of that which is "around the tooth".  Periodontal disease is usually considered to be a chronic, episodic, bacterial infection of the gums and supporting structures around the teeth. Untreated, it can lead to tooth loss and damage to the supporting bone.

Scaling and root planing is usually the first step in the treatment of periodontal disease. Scaling is the removal of calculus (commonly called tartar) and plaque, which attaches to the tooth surface both above and below the gumline.  The root surface is smoothed down in a process called root planing. Root planing removes any remaining calculus and smooths root surface irregularities in order to prevent plaque from forming on the rough surfaces of the teeth.