Specialist care
Periodontist in Putney
Gum problems that do not respond to normal or deep cleaning are best treated by our periodontal consultant, who can improve access for cleaning, treat severe recession with gum grafts and, in some cases, regrow bone that has been lost. Ask your dentist for a referral, or call us.
Periodontal care at Ethicare, in brief
How much does it cost?
Assessment is part of an examination (£85). Deep cleaning with local anaesthetic is £165 a visit. Treatment with our periodontal consultant is priced after assessment, in writing.
Who treats it?
Our dentists and hygienist follow one protocol for gum disease, and refer cases that do not respond to our periodontal consultant, who works at the practice.
Can I pay monthly?
Denplan members get 10% off private treatment. Ask us at your assessment about ways to spread the cost.
Do I need a referral?
Not necessarily. If your case is severe, or your own dentist has referred you, you can see our periodontal consultant straight away. Call us to arrange it.
Keep your natural teeth for longer.
Gingivitis, the mild form of gum disease, is reversible. Left to progress it becomes periodontitis: the gums recede, pockets form between gum and tooth, they fill with bacteria, and the bone that supports the teeth is slowly lost until they loosen. There is a genetic susceptibility, and there is little way of predicting who will get it, so we treat both at their root cause, the bacteria.
Our protocol starts with charting, deep cleaning and review. Where a pocket does not respond despite good home care, our periodontal consultant can carry out more complex procedures: improving access for cleaning, regenerating bone in certain cases, and grafting gum where recession is severe.
- One protocol shared by dentist, hygienist and consultant
- Deep cleaning first, surgery only where needed
- Gum grafts for severe recession
- Bone regeneration in suitable cases
“Loved the service, especially being a wheelchair user. They have made me feel very well taken care of.”
Periodontal treatment, step by step
- 01AssessmentYour gums are scored and charted at six points around each tooth so the extent of bone loss is known.
- 02Deep cleaningThorough cleaning below the gum line with our hygienist, under local anaesthetic where needed.
- 03ReviewTwo to three months later the pockets are re-measured. Most respond; those that do not are referred on.
- 04Consultant treatmentOur periodontal consultant treats pockets that have not responded, with surgery where it will help.
- 05MaintenanceHygiene visits every three to four months and a high standard of home care, for good.
What happens if I don't have treatment?
Untreated periodontitis usually ends in the loss of natural teeth as the bone supporting them wears away, and then in the cost and complication of replacing them with implants, dentures or a bridge. Most patients avoid all of that with cleaning, review and good home care; the consultant is for the minority who need more.
Periodontal questions
Something else? Call us on 020 8870 5059 or send a WhatsApp message.
Can you tell if I will develop periodontal disease?
Not reliably. There is a genetic susceptibility to periodontitis, which is far more destructive than gingivitis, and no simple way of knowing who will get it. That is why we treat both at their root cause, the bacteria, and keep bacterial levels low with regular cleaning.
Does periodontal treatment hurt?
You will feel some discomfort, particularly when cleaning below the gum line, so we use local anaesthetic and take time to keep you comfortable. Most patients find it not as bad as they expected.
What happens if I choose not to have periodontal treatment?
It is very likely that you will lose natural teeth as the bone supporting them continues to be lost, with the further cost and complication of replacing them.
Do I need to see my own dentist first?
No. If you consider your case severe, or you have been referred by your own practitioner, you can see our periodontal consultant straight away. Call us on 020 8870 5059 to arrange a consultation.
