Periodontal Services in Amarillo, TX

Home care is an extremely important part of maintaining healthy teeth and gums, but even excellent home care cannot prevent bacteria and plaque. If the plaque is not removed, it can harden, becoming calculus. We will recommend a periodontal maintenance program that is best for you based on how quickly you develop calculus and your past and current periodontal health.

Scaling and root planing treats minor to moderate gum disease by removing plaque and bacteria from the gums and pockets, and smoothing tooth roots to promote reattachment to the teeth.

Periodontal splinting is a nonsurgical treatment that helps to stabilize loose teeth by splinting multiple teeth together to form a more stable unit. Periodontal splinting may be performed to stabilize teeth before dental implant surgery.

ARESTIN® is a locally applied antibiotic that delivers minocycline microspheres in the form of a powder. It is placed directly into the infected periodontal pocket at the time of scaling and root planing procedures for easy, targeted treatment. The microspheres adhere to the surrounding surfaces to provide a sustained release of the antibiotic at the site of active infection for effective treatment. It is used in pocket depth reduction and may be used as part of a periodontal maintenance program.

Benefits of ARESTIN® include:

• No local anesthesia required
• No adhesive required
• No dressing required
• No need for removal as the microspheres are completely bioresorbed
• Remains active in the pocket for an extended period of time

Crown lengthening is a minimally invasive treatment that removes damaged gum tissue and improves upon the appearance of a gummy smile. By removing damaged gum tissue, the risk of spreading infection is reduced, while providing a cosmetic enhancement.

Gingival grafts treat thinning or receding gums, by covering exposed teeth roots. During a gingival graft, tissue from the roof of the mouth is grafted to the area of thinning or receding gum tissue.

Bone grafting is most commonly performed in patients preparing for dental implants. Bone grafts are necessary when the jawbone has suffered deterioration and is not strong enough to support an implant. Bone grafting places new bone in the depleted area, to stabilize the jaw and to promote new bone growth.

Osseous surgery is a minimally invasive periodontal surgery that treats periodontal disease by opening the pockets, removing diseased tissue and bacteria, and smoothing the teeth and bone to promote reattachment to the gums.

Bone regeneration and ridge preservation are periodontal procedures that restore and regenerate volume and height to the jaw bones. Ridge preservation is performed on the upper jaw to prepare for dental implants. Bone regeneration may be indicated prior to implants, and to treat a deteriorated jaw bone to prevent tooth loss.

Dental implants, which are precisely placed into the jaw during surgery not only fill in gaps in your smile; they also help preserve and regenerate your jawbone, which stabilizes adjacent teeth, maintains your facial appearance, and improves oral health.

A periodontal biopsy may be necessary to diagnose the cause of abnormalities in the gum tissue, including lesions, or to rule out certain diseases including oral cancer. During a biopsy, a small portion of tissue is removed for evaluation and examination.