Periodontal Treatment
Dr. Sheldon and Dr. Furtado explain the exact condition of your gums and lay out a plan to treat any gum disease found.
Breakthrough nonsurgical treatment for severe gum disease!
Our doctors and hygienists have special expertise in the nonsurgical procedure called "Perioscopy." The Perioscope is a tiny camera, or endoscope, used to explore and visualize the periodontal pocket, producing an image of a diseased tooth's root. And we are one of only about 200 offices in the USA with such an instrument.
This is a revolutionary treatment option for gum disease, and it often eliminates the need for gum surgery. The Perioscope features miniaturized video technology, which is what enables us to diagnose and treat areas below the gumline without the discomfort of surgery. It is the most advanced nonsurgical periodontal treatment in dentistry today.
Our digital radiographs ensure that you receive the best X-rays with less radiation.
Gum disease exam and consultation
Your gum disease care begins with an examination, X-rays and a consultation. During your examination we’ll not only check your teeth and bite, but will also do a periodontal probing to detect and measure periodontal pockets. If you have gum disease, we will create a treatment plan to treat it and will give you your options during your consultation.
How Perioscopy is done
Rebecca Caudill and Amanda Clark, our dental hygienists and Perioscopy therapists are very experienced in performing Perioscopy to fight gum disease. First, they will comfortably administer a local anesthetic. Next, Dr. Furtado will "relax" the gum tissue with our specialized laser to improve access to your pockets and root surfaces. Then your hygienist will use the Perioscope's tiny camera to view the root surface below the gum line. Finally, she will use special miniaturized instruments to remove plaque and calculus from areas of the root that in the past could only be seen during gum surgery.
Each session is about two hours long. Your treatment time may be shorter or longer depending on the complexity of your gum disease and how many teeth are being treated by Perioscopy.
Continuing care
While meticulous cleaning of your root surface is essential to the success of treatment, we now know that nutrition as well as good plaque control may not only increase your periodontal health, but may improve your overall health. Your customized program of home care will be supervised by your hygiene coordinator.
Depending upon your situation, we often do an OralDNA® test to determine the specific type and quantity of disease-causing bacteria in your mouth. Periodontal disease can be caused by one or a combination of eleven different types of bacteria. Using this technology, we can specifically identify the oral bacteria that can cause infections and then fight it with the proper antibiotic.
Comparison of different types of severe gum disease treatment
We are able to achieve full solutions to periodontitis in nearly all cases using Perioscopy.
Perioscopy is the most advanced nonsurgical gum treatment in modern dentistry.
To make an appointment, call 321.259.8000 or click here to request an appointment online.