Periodontal Disease Treatment
In Louisville, KY
Persistent gum inflammation, bleeding gums, and chronic bad breath are clear signs of gum disease taking a toll on your daily comfort and long-term oral health. When bacterial plaque and tartar are left untreated, they travel deep beneath the gum line, leading to gum recession and deep periodontal pockets. As bacteria multiply rapidly, they begin destroying the delicate bone and gum tissue supporting your teeth. Without timely professional intervention, advanced gum disease can lead to permanent bone loss and eventual tooth loss.
At Derby City Dental Specialists, our primary goal is to provide an elevated patient experience centered around achieving outstanding, long-term results. Double-board-certified periodontist Dr. Ryan Clagett brings advanced training and experience to every periodontal treatment, providing precise diagnosis and modern, comfortable treatment options to restore your oral health. Contact our compassionate Louisville team to schedule your consultation today and start your path back to living without pain.
Eradicates deep bacterial infections, clears plaque and tartar from the tooth root, and heals inflamed gum tissue
Stops progressive bone loss, prevents tooth loss, cures persistent bad breath, and lowers systemic health risks
Most patients experience minimal discomfort and return to regular routines within one to two days
Rebuilds a stable oral foundation designed to last for life with good oral hygiene and regular dental checkups
Periodontal disease treatment comprises a personalized combination of non-surgical and surgical therapies designed to eliminate harmful bacterial infections from your teeth and gums caused by a form of gum disease known as periodontitis. Depending on the specific stage and severity of your condition, a specialist may utilize conservative therapies such as scaling and root planing or advanced laser-assisted procedures. The overall purpose of disease treatment is to smooth out rough root surfaces, shrink deep pockets, and stop chronic inflammation and prevent further gum recession. Rather than offering temporary patches, this comprehensive approach focuses on restoring a clean, stable environment to keep your teeth healthy for decades.
We have two overarching approaches to treating your periodontal health—LANAP treatment and root scaling and planing. We may recommend one or both of these treatments to those suffering from periodontal disease.
LANAP and Laser Technology
Our office utilizes new technology that will completely revolutionize how you think about dentistry. No longer does periodontal disease treatment have to be painful, with long healing times. Instead, laser gum treatments promote new gum growth and healing while treating infected or irritated areas.
During the laser gum treatment, Dr. Clagett utilizes PerioLase MVP-7 laser technology to treat gum disease without traditional cutting or stitching. This specialized dental laser targets and destroys harmful bacteria while leaving adjacent healthy tissue completely untouched. The light energy also stimulates the underlying bone and gum tissue, encouraging natural bone regeneration and new attachment. This treatment is entirely pain-free, offering our patients a new standard of gum disease care.
Dr. Clagett and our dental technicians are highly trained in laser-assisted gum treatments for periodontal disease treatment. Partnering with us for your oral care is partnering with an expert in the field.
Scaling and Root Planing
Scaling and root planing, also called a dental deep clean, will remove plaque and irritants from around and under your tooth root. It is performed under local anesthesia; depending on the extent of your periodontitis, it may be performed over several visits, giving you time to heal.
During this non-surgical treatment, Dr. Clagett uses specialized tools to carefully remove plaque and tartar from the crown of the tooth and down along the tooth root. Next, the root planing phase smooths out any rough areas on the root surfaces, preventing new bacteria from attaching easily beneath the gum line. This thorough clearing shrinks deep periodontal pockets and provides a smooth pathway for healthy tissue to reattach to the tooth enamel.
Our approach for each patient is based on the kind and severity of their periodontal disease. We will work with you to meet your health and smile goals every step of the way.
Our premium periodontal dentistry embraces technology and new approaches that elevate your dental experience.
1. Patient Consultation
You will come to our office to learn more about what we can do for you. Fill out a new patient form to schedule a visit with Dr. Clagett today. Bring any medical history and referrals from general or cosmetic dentists.
2. Bacterial Testing
We will invite you to undergo saliva testing to identify the specific type of periodontal disease and the root causes. This analysis helps us understand the bacterial profile in your mouth, allowing us to tailor a treatment plan specific to your condition.
3. Creation of a Treatment Plan
Once we have more information about your condition, we will move forward with creating a specific treatment plan, in collaboration with you and your medical team.
4. LANAP and Dental Deep Clean
We may recommend both LANAP and a regular scaling and root planing treatment, or just one or the other. These may be done in several different visits to ensure that you heal properly between each one.
5. Follow-Up Care
We will give you specific aftercare instructions so that you can prevent further periodontal disease in the future. We will also invite you to our office for a follow-up after your treatments have been completed so that we can monitor your healing and any symptoms.
Our advanced periodontal treatments address early gingivitis as well as advanced, severe periodontitis. It successfully resolves painful symptoms like bleeding gums, swollen gums, loose teeth, and chronic bad breath caused by deep bacterial plaque. By eliminating persistent gum inflammation, precise treatment stops active bone loss and prevents the progressive tooth loss associated with untreated infections. Additionally, resolving this chronic inflammatory response protects your physical health beyond the mouth, as untreated periodontal gum disease is strongly linked to serious health problems like heart disease and cardiovascular disease.
Choosing Derby City Dental Specialists for your periodontal care means you’re looking beyond just treating gingivitis and periodontitis. Our treatments are essential for restoring periodontal health and offer a range of benefits that extend far beyond the gums.
Chronic bad breath, or halitosis, is often caused by gingivitis and periodontitis. Treatment offers you a fresh smile and a fresh start.
Early intervention helps avoid permanent damage to your gums, negating the need for treatments like gum grafts or addressing gum recession.
Treatment provides significant relief around your teeth and gums, reducing discomfort and improving your daily life.
By treating your gingivitis or periodontitis, you can prevent the disease from advancing further.
Advanced periodontal disease could lead to tooth loss, so early treatment helps save your smile.
Periodontal disease treatment results in gums that appear healthy, enhancing your smile and boosting your self-confidence.
Our approach at Derby City Dental Specialists aims to give you a comprehensive solution that addresses both your oral health needs and your desire for a stunning smile.
Periodontal treatment is a crucial step for anyone experiencing loose teeth, exposed roots, or a shifting bite due to a lack of bone support. Patients with early signs of gum disease, such as pink fluid when spitting or tender tissues, as well as those diagnosed with advanced periodontitis, all benefit from focused periodontal care. While factors like tobacco use, hormonal changes, or poor oral hygiene can increase your risk factors for disease, they also make seeking specialized care even more critical. If you have active health conditions or an allergic reaction to certain therapies, Dr. Clagett will thoroughly evaluate your mouth during a thorough examination to create a safe treatment plan.
Recovering from a dental deep clean or LANAP procedure is generally much faster and milder than traditional surgical treatments. For the first two days after your appointment, you will want to rest and enjoy a simple menu of soft foods like smoothies, yogurts, and lukewarm soups to keep pressure off the gum line. Minor gum inflammation or mild aching is completely normal for a day or two and can be easily managed with warm salt water rinses. Our team will provide clear postoperative instructions, including avoiding crunchy items and using prescribed antibiotic mouth rinses to promote healing and prevent infection.
Patients can look forward to a transformation in their oral health that brings lasting comfort and function back to their daily routine. Within a few weeks of completing your treatment plan, you will notice that your gums look firm, tight, and a natural pink color rather than red and swollen. Chronic bleeding will stop completely, and your teeth will begin to feel much more secure as the tissue reattaches to the root surfaces.
Because our advanced approach focuses on removing the root cause of the bacterial infection, these clinical improvements are designed to protect your smile for a lifetime. The long-term success of your results depends heavily on maintaining excellent oral hygiene habits at home, including regular brushing and flossing. Staying consistent with regular dental visits for professional maintenance cleanings will keep your teeth healthy and ensure the disease does not return.
Rebuilding a healthy foundation for your mouth requires an advanced level of periodontal expertise and clinical precision. Dr. Ryan Clagett brings over fifteen years of specialized experience and double board certifications to every gum disease treatment, ensuring your care is handled with the highest standard of precision. True to our practice philosophy of achieving better results with less surgery, we utilize advanced bacterial testing and non-invasive dental lasers to make your care completely pain-free with shorter healing times. In our spacious Louisville facility, you are supported by a compassionate team dedicated to your absolute physical comfort and personalized long-term success.
Our office is incredibly thorough during our deep cleans and LANAP treatments. If you are following the follow-up instructions from Dr. Clagett, you may not need further periodontal treatment. Keeping good oral health is essential to your treatment lasting.
If you are suffering from gum disease that is genetic or recurring, we will offer you an honest diagnosis and provide plans for symptom relief and long-term care.
We use local and sometimes general anesthesia to provide you with a comfortable and pain-free experience. Our LANAP lasers provide beautiful results with little to no discomfort or pain.
There are several signs of gingivitis or periodontitis, including:
If you notice these symptoms, get in touch with your dentist immediately. They may recommend visiting a specialist such as Dr. Clagett, who will provide you with permanent solutions that resolve your symptoms and the root cause.
Gum Disease is often preventable by doing things such as:
Periodontal (gum) disease is a chronic genetic autoimmune disease. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, the disease progresses to the point where the help of a periodontist is needed. We will take the time to diagnose your condition and customize a treatment plan specific to you.
We use local anesthesia and sometimes IV sedation to provide you with a comfortable experience. Rarely, if ever, are pain medicines prescribed. The most common experience is mild soreness of the gums for a day or two.
Periodontal disease treatment has many different approaches, which means that costs can vary significantly. We recommend visiting Dr. Clagett for a consultation to learn more about the cost of periodontal disease treatment as well as our financing options.
We do not currently partner with insurance at this time, as they do not align with our values of high-quality and thorough care.
Guided tissue regeneration is an advanced procedure used to rebuild lost bone and gum tissue around teeth that have been severely damaged by periodontitis. Dr. Clagett gently places a small, protective membrane over the damaged bone socket to keep fast-growing soft tissues from filling the space. This clever barrier allows the slower-growing bone cells enough time to regenerate bone and secure the tooth root safely.
Yes, pocket reduction surgery is an effective treatment option when non-surgical deep cleanings cannot fully clear the bacteria from deep pockets. Dr. Clagett carefully folds back the infected gum tissue to remove the hardened plaque and tartar from the roots before securing the gums flat against the bone. This process significantly shrinks the deep pockets, making it much easier for you to keep the area clean during your daily oral hygiene routine at home. Bone grafting may also be considered in cases where periodontitis has eaten away at bone beneath the gums.
