Our Services
Periodontal Care
Preserving the foundation of every healthy smile.
Periodontal Care · The Practice SFPeriodontal Health & Overall Health
Your gum health affects more than your smile.
Periodontal health is an important part of overall health.
The mouth–body connection.
Periodontal (gum) disease is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by bacteria that collect around the teeth and below the gumline. When the gums are inflamed or infected, bacteria and inflammatory substances can enter the bloodstream. Research has consistently found important associations between periodontal disease and several systemic conditions, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Gum disease and heart health.
People with periodontal disease are more likely to have cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke. Scientists believe that chronic inflammation and bacteria associated with periodontal disease may contribute to inflammation within blood vessels, and may be part of the biological connection between oral and cardiovascular health. Periodontal disease has not been proven to directly cause heart disease, and treating gum disease has not been proven to prevent a heart attack or stroke — but maintaining healthy gums is an important component of reducing chronic inflammation and protecting overall health.
Heart & Blood Vessels
Periodontal disease is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Diabetes
Diabetes can worsen periodontal disease, and periodontal inflammation can make blood-sugar control more difficult.
Whole-Body Health
Reducing oral infection and inflammation is one part of maintaining good overall health.
The Bottom Line
Taking care of your gums is not just about saving your teeth — a healthy mouth is an important part of a healthy body.
Regular periodontal examinations, professional maintenance, good daily plaque control, and treatment of active periodontal disease can help maintain periodontal health.
Important: periodontal care complements — not replaces — medical care and the management of established cardiovascular risk factors.
The Approach
Considered care, explained plainly.
The word periodontal means "around the tooth." As periodontists, we specialize in the gums and supporting bone that anchor your teeth — the foundation of your smile. Our focus is always on preserving your natural teeth and restoring your mouth to its healthiest condition.
Treatment always begins with a thorough examination and an honest conversation. Many conditions respond beautifully to conservative, non-surgical therapy; where surgery is indicated, we take the time to explain exactly what to expect and why.
What This Includes
Every treatment, tailored to you.
- Comprehensive periodontal evaluation
- A meticulous examination of your gums, bone support and bite, forming the basis of a treatment plan built around your goals.
- Non-surgical therapy
- Scaling and root planing to remove bacterial deposits below the gumline — often the only treatment early periodontal disease requires.
- Laser-assisted surgical therapy
- A minimally invasive treatment for gum disease that uses a specialized dental laser to remove infected and diseased tissue and reduce harmful bacteria around the teeth.
- Periodontal flap & osseous surgery
- Treatment for advanced gum disease that involves excising around the teeth and gently pulling the gums away from the teeth so that the roots and supporting bone can be thoroughly cleaned. Often, irregular or damaged bone can be reshaped to create a healthier foundation around the teeth. The gums are then repositioned and sutured into place.
- Periodontal maintenance
- An ongoing program of professional care, coordinated with your general dentist, to keep results stable for the long term.
Surgical Therapy
Our Technology
Laser precision, gentler care.
For laser-assisted surgical therapy we use an advanced dental laser designed for minimally invasive treatment of gum disease, removing infected and diseased tissue and reducing harmful bacteria around the teeth.
Ask about laser-assisted therapy at your appointment — we will be glad to explain whether it suits your case.
Laser-assisted therapy
Our dental laserFrequently Asked Questions
Questions we are often asked.
A few of the questions patients bring us most often about periodontal care. Anything else, and your appointment is the place to ask — we will take all the time you need.
How do I know if I have gum disease?
Bleeding when you brush or floss is the most common early sign, along with tenderness, persistent bad breath, or gums that have begun to pull away from the teeth. Early periodontal disease is often painless — which is why a comprehensive evaluation, measuring the space between gum and tooth, is the only reliable way to know.
Will I need surgery?
Most often, no. Early and moderate periodontal disease usually responds well to non-surgical therapy — a thorough cleaning below the gumline that removes the bacterial deposits driving the inflammation. Surgery is recommended only when the supporting bone has been affected, and we explain exactly what we have found, and why, before proposing it.
Can gum disease come back after treatment?
Periodontal disease is controlled rather than cured. With regular maintenance visits and consistent care at home, most patients keep it stable for life. Interrupted maintenance is the single most common reason it returns.
Ready to take the first step?
Call us at (415) 664-4532, or request an appointment and we will be in touch shortly.