What Is Periodontics?
Periodontics is the care of the gums and bone that hold your teeth in place. When plaque and tartar build up below the gumline, they cause inflammation and infection that can damage those supporting structures over time. Periodontal treatment stops that process, helps the tissue heal, and rebuilds what has already been lost.
River Landing Dentistry provides both non-surgical and surgical periodontal care for patients across Charleston, SC from our Mt Pleasant office, roughly a 10 to 15 minute drive from downtown. Which path we recommend depends on how deep the pockets are and how your gums respond to the first stage of treatment.
Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment
Our non-surgical treatments are designed to stop gum disease in its early to moderate stages using minimally invasive techniques. They focus on removing harmful bacteria, reducing inflammation, and allowing your gums to heal without surgery. For most patients this is where treatment begins, and for many it is where it ends.
Scaling and Root Planing
Often called a deep cleaning, scaling and root planing goes further than a routine cleaning by targeting bacteria below the gumline. It has two parts: scaling removes plaque and tartar from above and below the gums, and root planing smooths the tooth roots so the gum tissue can reattach and heal. Treatment is completed in sections of the mouth, with local anesthesia for your comfort.
- Reduced gum inflammation and bleeding
- Prevention of further bone and tissue loss
- Improved gum attachment to the teeth
- Lower risk of tooth loss
Localized Antibiotic Therapy
Localized antibiotic therapy places a small amount of antibiotic medication directly into a periodontal pocket, where the bacteria are most active. Unlike an oral antibiotic that affects your whole body, it delivers medication exactly where it is needed, and releases slowly so it keeps working after your appointment ends. We often pair it with scaling and root planing for patients with moderate gum disease or stubborn areas of infection.
Why Charleston Patients Choose Periodontal Care
Most people come to us because something changed: gums that bleed when they brush, a tooth that feels loose, roots that have started to show, or sensitivity that will not settle down. Treating gums early is almost always simpler than treating what follows years of untreated infection.
Protecting the Bone That Holds Your Teeth
Gum disease does its real damage below the surface. As pockets deepen, bacteria reach bone that cannot regrow on its own, and teeth lose their anchor. Periodontal therapy interrupts that sequence and gives tissue a clean surface to heal against, which is the difference between saving natural teeth and replacing them.
Treating Gum Recession
When gum tissue pulls away from the teeth, the roots become exposed. That causes sensitivity, raises the risk of root decay, and changes how your smile looks. Gum grafting places healthy tissue, often taken from another area of your mouth, over those exposed roots to restore the gumline and protect the teeth.
Rebuilding for Future Restorations
Bone loss narrows your options. Ridge augmentation restores the shape and volume of the jaw after tooth loss, bone grafting strengthens areas weakened by extraction or infection, and a sinus lift adds bone height in the upper molar and premolar area. Each one is often the step that makes dental implants possible for a patient who was previously told there was not enough bone to work with.
Comparing Periodontal Treatments
| Treatment | Best suited for | How it works | Main goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scaling and root planing | Early to moderate gum disease | Removes buildup below the gumline and smooths the roots | Reduce pocket depth and let gums reattach |
| Localized antibiotic therapy | Moderate disease or persistent infection | Antibiotic placed directly into the pocket | Control bacteria and support deep cleaning |
| Osseous surgery | Moderate to advanced gum disease | Gums lifted, infected tissue removed, bone reshaped | Eliminate deep pockets of bacteria |
| Gum grafting | Gum recession and exposed roots | Healthy tissue placed over the root surfaces | Restore the gumline and reduce sensitivity |
| Bone grafting, ridge augmentation, sinus lift | Bone loss after tooth loss or infection | Grafting material regenerates natural bone | Rebuild a stable foundation |
What to Expect
Knowing the sequence takes most of the worry out of periodontal treatment. Here is how care generally unfolds at our practice.
Step 1: Evaluation and Imaging
We measure the depth of the pockets around each tooth, check where the gumline sits, and look at the bone with digital X-rays and high-definition 3D imaging. Those measurements separate mild inflammation from disease that has reached the bone, and we review them with you on screen.
Step 2: Your Treatment Plan and What Affects Cost
Cost in periodontal care is driven by how many areas of the mouth need treatment, whether therapy stays non-surgical or moves to osseous surgery, whether grafting is involved, and how often you will need maintenance visits afterward. Because those vary between patients, we build the plan first, then give you a detailed estimate with your verified insurance benefits, flexible payment and financing options, and our Dental Savings Plan if you are uninsured.
Step 3: Non-Surgical Therapy First
Nearly every case begins here. We complete scaling and root planing in sections, add localized antibiotic therapy where infection is most active, then give the tissue several weeks to respond before remeasuring. Many patients see bleeding and inflammation resolve at this stage.
Step 4: Surgical Treatment When It Is Needed
If pockets stay deep, osseous surgery gives us access to areas routine care cannot reach. The gums are gently lifted, infected tissue and bacteria are removed, and irregularities in the underlying bone are smoothed. The gums are then repositioned to fit closely around the teeth, which makes daily hygiene easier going forward.
How Long Periodontal Treatment Takes
Scaling and root planing is usually spread across two visits, with a follow-up weeks later to remeasure. Surgical procedures are single appointments, with soft tissue healing over the following weeks. Grafting is the longest stage, because graft material needs months to integrate with your natural bone before restorations are placed.
Healing and Periodontal Maintenance
After treatment we may recommend more frequent maintenance cleanings along with home care matched to your situation. Those visits hold your results in place. We will show you how to clean the areas that gave you trouble, and check pocket depths each time you come in.
Are You a Candidate for Periodontal Treatment?
If your gums bleed, feel tender, or have pulled back from your teeth, an evaluation is worth scheduling. Gum disease is often painless early on, which is why it is usually found during a routine exam rather than reported by the patient.
Signs You May Need Periodontal Care
- Gums that bleed when you brush or floss
- Gums that have receded, leaving roots exposed or teeth looking longer
- Sensitivity along the gumline, especially to cold
- Teeth that feel loose or have shifted position
- Persistent bad taste or breath that cleaning does not resolve
What We Evaluate
We look at pocket depth around every tooth, the amount of bone visible on imaging, how much attached gum tissue remains, and health conditions that affect healing. Your bite matters too, since clenching puts extra load on teeth that have lost support. We also review any planned restorative dentistry, because gum health has to come first.
Candidates for Gum Grafting
Grafting is for recession that has exposed root surfaces. Beyond protecting those roots from decay and preventing further recession, it creates a more natural-looking gumline. Patients considering cosmetic dentistry often address recession first so crowns and veneers meet an even gumline.
Candidates for Bone Grafting and Ridge Procedures
Bone grafting is commonly recommended to prepare for implant placement, to prevent bone loss after an extraction, and to support long-term oral structure. Ridge augmentation addresses the shrinkage that follows tooth loss, and a sinus lift is used when the sinus sits too close to the upper jaw for an implant. Cosmetic crown lengthening is also available when a tooth needs more exposed structure before a crown.
Why Charleston Patients Trust River Landing Dentistry
Our team handles periodontal care from the first measurement through long-term maintenance, so you are not sent elsewhere partway through treatment and back again for your restorations.
Advanced Technology
Digital X-rays, digital impressions, and high-definition 3D imaging show us bone levels and root surfaces in detail before we plan anything. When treatment leads to restorative work, our E4D CAD/CAM system and in-house 3D printing keep that stage in house too. See more of our technology before your visit.
Comfort and Sedation
Local anesthesia keeps scaling and root planing comfortable, and oral sedation, nitrous oxide, and IV sedation are available for longer or surgical appointments. Every doctor at River Landing Dentistry is IV sedation certified. If anxiety has kept you from treating your gums, tell us and we will plan around it.
A Short Drive from Downtown
Our Mt Pleasant office is about 10 to 15 minutes from downtown Charleston and the peninsula, so appointments fit easily around a work day. We also welcome patients at our Daniel Island, North Charleston, Nexton, and Summerville locations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Periodontics in Charleston, SC
How much does periodontal treatment cost in Charleston, SC?
It depends on how many areas of your mouth need treatment, whether care stays non-surgical or includes osseous surgery or grafting, and how often you will need maintenance visits. After your exam and imaging you will receive a detailed estimate with verified insurance benefits, flexible payment and financing options, and details on our Dental Savings Plan if you are uninsured.
Where do Charleston patients go for periodontal care?
Most patients from the peninsula see us in Mt Pleasant, the closest of our offices to downtown Charleston. Patients also come from Daniel Island, North Charleston, Nexton, and Summerville, and we treat both non-surgical and surgical cases here rather than referring them out.
Does scaling and root planing hurt?
Local anesthesia is used to numb the area being treated, so the appointment itself is comfortable. Afterward the gums are often tender for a day or two and teeth can feel sensitive to cold while the tissue heals.
Can gum disease be reversed?
Inflammation caught early often resolves completely once the bacteria below the gumline are removed. Once bone has been lost, treatment shifts to stopping the damage, reducing pocket depth, and rebuilding support with grafting where it makes sense.
Will my insurance cover gum treatment?
Many plans cover periodontal therapy, sometimes at a different level than routine care, and maintenance visits are often handled separately. We verify your benefits before treatment begins and explain what is covered and what is not, along with financing options and our Dental Savings Plan.
Do I need healthy gums before getting dental implants?
Yes. Active gum disease is treated before implants are placed, because an implant depends on the same bone and tissue that periodontal disease attacks. Where bone has already been lost, grafting, ridge augmentation, or a sinus lift can rebuild the foundation first.
Schedule Periodontal Care in Charleston, SC
Bleeding gums and receding gumlines do not improve on their own. A periodontal evaluation tells you exactly where your gums and bone stand today.
Call (843) 242-0645 or request an appointment online. Our Mt Pleasant office is minutes from downtown Charleston, with additional locations in Daniel Island, North Charleston, Nexton, and Summerville.
We would love to meet you.