Dr. Britt believes gum health should be achieved in the least invasive and most cost-effective manner. This is often accomplished through non-surgical periodontal treatment, including scaling and root planing (a careful cleaning of the root surfaces to remove plaque and calculus from deep periodontal pockets and to smooth the tooth root to remove bacterial toxins), followed by adjunctive therapy as needed on a case-by-case basis.
If you have been diagnosed with and treated for periodontal (gum) disease, regularly scheduled supportive gum therapy is vitally important to the success in management of gum disease progression. Continuous maintenance is absolutely necessary to prevent periodontal infection from reactivating and destroying what healing has occurred.
Scientific studies show the most important aspect of periodontal treatment is long-term gum therapy. Individuals vary in their response to periodontal disease and resistance to the disease varies at different times of life. When periodontal disease recurs following a treatment plan, it may do so without signs or symptoms to the patient. Dr. Britt and her team of licensed hygienist are trained in recognizing the very subtle signs that may signal detrimental changes.
In some cases of periodontal (gum) disease, the use of antibiotic therapy may be necessary as an adjunct to nonsurgical treatments. Following treatment, various antibiotics can be placed in the areas surrounding the teeth where infection remains or where the immune system did not respond with the desired result. These therapies promote further healing and aid in more effectively controlling an incurable disease.