Periodontal Surgery
In Louisville, KY
Living with bleeding gums, loose teeth, or persistent bad breath can make eating and socializing feel incredibly stressful. When gum disease advances past the early stages, bacteria travel deep down the tooth root, destroying the essential bone and gum tissue that hold your teeth in place. Traditional treatments, like a standard dental deep cleaning, are excellent for mild issues, but they simply cannot reach the deep pockets of infection that form in severe cases of periodontitis. Leaving these deep pockets untreated can lead to progressive bone loss, pain, and eventual tooth loss.
At Derby City Dental Specialists, we look at your entire mouth as an interconnected system to treat the root causes of disease and restore robust oral health. Dr. Ryan Clagett is a double board-certified periodontist and dentist specializing in minimally invasive therapies to stop the spread of infection. Our Louisville periodontal surgery team is dedicated to providing a comfortable and elevated patient experience that makes your care feel seamless. Schedule a consultation with us today to find the ideal path back to optimal health.
Cleans deep bacterial pockets, removes tartar from the tooth root, and repairs damaged bone and tissue
Stops bone loss, prevents tooth loss, eliminates chronic gum infection, and relieves persistent discomfort
Most patients return to light daily routines within 1-2 days
Rebuilds a stable oral environment that can last for life with proper oral hygiene and regular professional checkups
Periodontal surgery encompasses the specialized procedures aimed at treating severe gum disease, including the damaged bone and soft tissues that support your teeth. Depending on your exact needs, Dr. Clagett may use various techniques to regenerate healthy tissue.
Common treatment options include:
Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure (LANAP), or laser periodontal surgery, vaporizes bacteria and removes diseased gum tissue without incisions.
Pocket reduction surgery (also known as osseous surgery or flap surgery) involves accessing tooth roots to clear bacteria and smooth bone, encouraging the gums to reattach to your teeth.
Soft tissue grafts (or gum grafting) treat gum recession by using donor gum tissue to cover exposed tooth roots.
Bone grafting is a regenerative procedure that replaces damaged bone with new bone, rebuilding the integrity of your jaw.
Our advanced diagnostic and planning technology allows us to understand the root of the issue, bringing you results that last a lifetime.
Bacterial Testing
Accurate diagnosis is the first step toward providing you with a precise and effective treatment approach. We employ advanced bacterial testing to identify the specific type and extent of periodontal disease you may have. This testing helps us understand the bacterial composition in your mouth, allowing us to assess the progression of periodontitis accurately.
These tests are crucial in developing a personalized treatment plan that aligns with your unique needs and conditions.
Imaging and X-rays
Our 3D imaging, specialized dental photography, and precise X-rays allow us to assess your oral and periodontal health with more understanding than just seeing your teeth. With these images we can plan for a surgery that targets only the affected areas, leaving the rest of your mouth untouched.
We utilize cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans that give us a 3D view of your teeth and gums. This imaging is an essential part of understanding your specific needs and how to resolve them.
Our treatment plans are centered around the results you want as a patient. We seek to make your surgery experience as easy as possible so that you can enjoy your time loving your smile instead of hiding it.
Each treatment plan is customized to your cosmetic and oral health needs. We will create a treatment plan that places prevention first—with smaller-scale treatments such as LANAP—before we offer surgery as an option. We also rely on a dental deep clean and LANAP to address smaller areas of concern before surgeries.
Each surgery is different. With his expert eye, Dr. Clagett will target only the areas that need removal to ensure that the healing process after your surgery is efficient and beneficial. Our minimally invasive techniques ensure your healing time is short, with little to no scarring.
Exams and Consultation
Dr. Clagett believes in honest diagnoses that help us treat the causes of your symptoms as well as the symptoms themselves. We invite our new patients to a consultation and exam. At this appointment, Dr. Clagett will assess your periodontal health and oral health. We may use a bacterial test and imaging to learn more about the kind of periodontal disease you are struggling with.
During the diagnostic phase, Dr. Clagett is looking for plaque and tartar deep under your gums, highly infected areas of gum that need to be removed, and pockets of infection around or under your gums. Based on this examination, he will create a precise and individual treatment plan. If conservative treatments like a dental deep cleaning or periodontal laser therapy are not adequate to address the concerns and symptoms you are experiencing, surgery may be the best choice.
Procedure
During periodontal surgery, you will be under local or general anesthesia, depending on your request. Dr. Clagett will gently lift the gums and remove infection or tartar, which is more in-depth than a dental deep clean. After that, he will use sutures to place the gums back over the teeth securely.
Our approach to surgery leaves you with minimal cosmetic concerns—even shortly after surgery. Our sutures are discreet, and we only use them when absolutely necessary. In many cases, the incisions are small enough that sutures are not needed, providing a smoother recovery process.
Periodontal treatment is vital for resolving severe cases of chronic periodontal disease that have failed to improve with standard deep cleanings. It treats deep periodontal pockets, advanced gum infection, and localized bone loss caused by long-standing bacterial buildup beneath the gum line. By safely eliminating these deep, hidden reservoirs of bacteria, the procedure protects you from painful symptoms such as tooth sensitivity and swollen gums, as well as the progressive tooth loss associated with advanced gum damage.
Additionally, chronic gum infection is a strong risk factor for broader health problems. Left untreated, periodontitis is linked to inflammatory conditions, including cardiovascular disease, underscoring the importance of oral health for overall health.
Surgical treatment halts active infection, protecting your jawbone and preventing future tooth loss. It also provides a significant cosmetic rejuvenation, reshaping swollen or uneven gums so your smile looks naturally clean and vibrant, rather than inflamed. By shrinking deep pockets, the procedure aims to make your daily oral hygiene routine at home much more effective, allowing you to brush and floss more effectively. Ultimately, the treatment provides a significant boost to your quality of life, allowing you to eat your favorite foods and smile with total self-assurance.
Adults who are struggling with advanced gum disease that cannot be corrected by non-surgical root planing or dental deep cleans are excellent candidates for this procedure. It is ideal for individuals with deep periodontal pockets who are highly motivated to preserve their natural teeth and protect their jawbone health.
Patients with major uncontrolled health conditions or severe systemic illnesses may need to delay the procedure until their medical status is stable. During your pre-surgical dental evaluation, Dr. Clagett will use detailed digital scans and bacterial testing to evaluate several factors, making sure your mouth is ready to heal predictably.
Healing from gum surgery takes one to two weeks. For two days up to a week after your treatment, we recommend eating soft foods such as smoothies and soups. Chewy or crunchy foods can be irritating or even damage your sutures.
Minor bleeding and discomfort are common after surgery. Any bleeding typically resolves in a few hours, and discomfort is well-managed with medication. We will take the time to explain your specific post-surgery instructions before you have your treatment. It is essential that you follow those guides to maximize the success of the surgery. Follow-up appointments are scheduled 1-2 weeks after surgery to check your healing. Dr. Clagett and his team remain fully available to address questions and concerns at every stage of your treatment and recovery process.
For patients with gum disease, periodontal surgery provides a definitive solution for comfort, relief, and lasting oral health. Within a few weeks of your treatment, you will notice that your gums look firm, healthy, and a natural pink color rather than swollen and red. Chronic bleeding will stop completely, and active tooth sensitivity will begin to fade as the tissue reattaches to the teeth.
Because we focus on treating the root causes of periodontitis, these clinical improvements are designed to protect your smile for years to come. The long-term success of your treatment depends heavily on maintaining excellent oral hygiene habits at home and staying consistent with regular dental checkups. By keeping the bacterial levels in your mouth under control, you can look forward to a strong, stable smile that stands the test of time.
Our Technology Helps Us Deliver Results
When we visit with you for a consultation, our focus will be on achievable results that will improve your confidence, quality of life, and long-term oral health, with a focus on preventative care for the future, while treating the periodontal disease you are struggling with now. Our advanced diagnostic and planning technology allows us to understand the root of the issue, bringing you results that last a lifetime.
Approaching the Root of Your Periodontal Disease
Dr. Clagett’s specialized training and retinue of technology will give you a comprehensive approach to dentistry that you may not discover anywhere else.
This comprehensive approach will cover so much more than just your teeth. We may evaluate your lifestyle and if certain habits may be contributing to your periodontitis. Dr. Clagett may make suggestions to improve your lifestyle, which can lessen symptoms and the cause of periodontal disease.
We will work with your body to find solutions that will aid you in finding a future free of periodontal pain and disease.
We also work with like-minded doctors in our field to ensure that you are getting the best care all around.
An Office with Expertise
Dr. Clagett is highly experienced in periodontal treatment and surgery. You can expect a shortened healing time with smaller incisions and treatment areas when you receive surgery from us.
Choosing an expert you trust is essential when seeking periodontal treatment. To meet Dr. Clagett, fill out our new patient form.
Enhanced Patient Experience
We offer comfort dentistry for our patients, allowing those with dental anxiety to still receive treatments needed to preserve their oral health. For dental surgery, we offer local and general anesthesia.
Our office is a premium dental experience, ensuring that you feel as if you are treated well every single time you step through our doors. Our team’s high level of training and Dr. Clagett’s years of experience offer you a visit like no other.
Dr. Clagett is here to provide you with periodontal surgery from an expert. Rest easy, knowing you are in highly trained hands that will help you achieve your personal smile goals.
From treating pain to preventing tooth loss, periodontal surgery can treat a wide variety of periodontal concerns. If you have been referred by a doctor or are interested in receiving care for your periodontitis, we encourage you to become a new patient by filling out our online form.
We recommend that you do not work for one to two days after your surgery, and keep to soft foods for around a week. Gums are typically fully healed around a month, at which point Dr. Clagett will remove your sutures and do a follow-up appointment.
While your gums are healing, you will still be able to go about your daily life with little to no pain. If you experience sensitivity, we recommend over-the-counter pain relievers. If the pain ever gets to be constant and sharp, contact us immediately.
We aim to offer invaluable services to our patients, giving them a chance at a life with a smile they love.
The cost of periodontal surgery must be estimated after a thorough examination. With this information, Dr. Clagett will be able to understand how long the surgery will be or if multiple surgeries are necessary. Delaying treatment can lead to more expensive future therapies, making timely treatment a wise investment in your oral health.
Schedule an appointment using our new patient form to begin your journey to periodontal health.
Our company approaches your health in an entirely new way, with a focus on your overall smile needs. We do not currently partner with insurance, as insurance approaches dentistry with impermanent solutions or single-tooth solutions.
Dr. Clagett will advise the best course for your dental treatment.
In many cases, we recommend less invasive treatments first, such as dental deep cleans. Often, those resolve the issue. If you have severe periodontal disease, a dental deep clean may only irritate your gums instead of helping them. It is at that point that we would recommend dental surgery first.
We will thoroughly evaluate your current condition, giving you suggestions and a diagnosis that will help you move forward with your oral health. Dr. Clagett is a specialist who can tell you if you need periodontal surgery.
Dental crown lengthening is a specific type of periodontal surgery performed to expose more of a tooth's natural structure. It is often required if a tooth is broken off near the gum line or if there is not enough tooth structure visible to support a new dental crown or bridge securely. Dr. Clagett gently adjusts the local bone and gum tissue levels, ensuring your dentist has a solid foundation to attach the final restoration safely.
Yes, if you experience gum recession due to advanced disease or aggressive brushing, specialized surgical procedures can safely restore the coverage over an exposed root. Dr. Clagett can perform a connective tissue graft or utilize innovative tissue-stimulating proteins to encourage healthy tissue growth over the bare tooth root. This helps eliminate painful tooth sensitivity and protects the vulnerable roots from future decay.
