Periodontal Disease Treatment in Denver & Westminster, CO

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that quietly damages the gums and bone supporting your teeth—often without pain—until signs like bleeding gums, bad breath, gum recession, or loose teeth appear. Left untreated, it's the leading cause of adult tooth loss, which is why early periodontal treatment matters. We usually start with non-surgical scaling and root planing (deep cleaning) to remove plaque and calculus, and when disease is more advanced, periodontal surgery lets us clean deeper below the gumline and reshape or graft lost bone for a healthier, more maintainable result. Our Denver and Westminster practice also offers advanced laser therapy with the Fotona LightWalker® to target bacteria and inflammation with greater precision and less discomfort.

What Is Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammation of the tissues that surround and support your teeth, causing the gums and jawbone to recede and break down over time. It's extremely common—about half of American adults have some form of it, and it becomes more likely with age.

It often develops quietly and painlessly, so many people don't notice it until damage is already done. Watch for these warning signs:

Bleeding gums, especially when brushing or flossing
Persistent bad breath
Gum recession or teeth that look longer
Loose or shifting teeth

What Causes Periodontal Disease?

Periodontal disease is multifactorial—there's rarely a single cause. The factor most within your control is your daily home care: brushing and flossing every day keeps bacteria, plaque, and calculus from building up on your teeth and beneath the gumline. Other contributors can include genetics, smoking, medical conditions, and the natural changes that come with age.

Why Early Treatment Matters

When periodontal disease is caught and treated early, its damage can be kept to a minimum and your teeth maintained for the long term. If your general dentist or hygienist has recommended a "deep cleaning," that's the first step in treating it. More severe cases may call for periodontal surgery and a referral to a periodontist, and in the most advanced cases, teeth may need to be removed and replaced with dental implants.

Drs. Kyle Diehl, Claire Coleman, and Samantha Campbell manage every form of periodontal disease—from mild to severe—with treatment plans tailored to your needs. As skilled microsurgeons, they work to keep every step as comfortable and pain-free as possible. Below are the non-surgical and surgical therapies we use.

Non-Surgical Scaling and Root Planing (Deep Cleaning)

Scaling and root planing is usually the first line of treatment. We typically treat one half of your mouth at a time, and the area is fully numbed with local anesthesia—so you won't feel pain or sensitivity, just occasional pressure.

We use ultrasonic instruments with a water spray to deep-clean the pockets around your teeth, followed by fine, specialized hand instruments to smooth the root surfaces. In certain cases, we may add:

Laser light to decontaminate the pocket and encourage clotting and healing
A concentrated antibiotic placed directly into the gum pocket

Your provider will let you know if you're a candidate for these add-on treatments. Afterward, we'll provide post-operative instructions to guide your recovery.

Osseous Surgery (Pocket Reduction)

Osseous surgery is often recommended when deep cleaning doesn't fully resolve the disease, or when bacteria have penetrated deep enough that the diseased area needs to be fully exposed, cleaned, and reshaped to heal.

Also called pocket reduction surgery, the area is numbed and the gums are gently lifted with microsurgical instruments to expose the root surfaces and bone. All diseased tissue, bacteria, and calculus are removed using ultrasonic and hand instruments—sometimes with laser therapy. The bone is then reshaped to a healthy contour so the gum tissue can lay back down snugly, reducing the pocket. Stitches hold everything in place while you heal. We'll send you home with post-operative instructions for hard-tissue therapy.

Guided Tissue Regeneration

Like osseous surgery, guided tissue regeneration is used when deep cleaning alone isn't enough—but instead of removing tissue to reduce pockets, it works to regenerate lost bone. (Not every bony defect can be treated this way; we'll let you know if you're a candidate.)

The area is numbed and the gums are lifted to expose and thoroughly clean the roots and bone. Then, rather than reshaping bone away, we pack bone graft material into the defect—sometimes combined with a biologic like Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF). A membrane is shaped over the graft to hold the particles in place, and the gum tissue is stitched back over the top to heal. As with osseous surgery, you'll receive post-operative instructions for hard-tissue therapy.

Laser Therapy: TwinLight®

The Fotona LightWalker® laser offers a minimally invasive option for treating periodontal disease through the TwinLight® protocol—an FDA-cleared, laser-assisted procedure that can encourage regeneration of the root surface, periodontal ligament, and bone, often without scalpels or stitches.

During treatment, a thin laser fiber is placed in the pocket between the tooth and gum. Two laser wavelengths work together, each doing what it does best:

The Nd:YAG laser removes diseased tissue and improves access to the root surface
The Er:YAG laser kills bacteria and clears biofilm and calculus from the root
The Nd:YAG laser is then used again to help form a stable clot that promotes healing

Because it combines both wavelengths in one visit, TwinLight® can deliver excellent results with a strong safety profile. You'll be re-evaluated about 4–6 weeks later, and many patients see meaningful improvement—often 2–3 mm of pocket reduction. Many also find laser therapy more comfortable than traditional treatment, though not everyone is a candidate. Learn more about our laser periodontal therapy.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I have gum disease?

Because it's often painless, many people don't. Warning signs include bleeding gums, persistent bad breath, receding gums, and loose teeth—but the surest way to know is a professional periodontal evaluation.

Can periodontal disease be reversed?

The earliest stage can often be controlled and stabilized, and early treatment keeps damage to a minimum. More advanced disease can be treated and managed to stop its progression and protect your teeth, though lost bone doesn't grow back on its own—which is where regenerative options come in.

Is a deep cleaning painful?

No—the area is fully numbed, so you'll typically feel only occasional pressure, not pain or sensitivity.

Will I definitely need surgery?

Not necessarily. Many patients respond well to non-surgical scaling and root planing. Surgery is recommended only when the disease is more advanced or doesn't fully resolve with deep cleaning.

Is laser treatment better than traditional gum surgery?

For the right candidate, laser therapy can mean less discomfort, no scalpels or stitches, and faster healing. It isn't right for every case, so we'll evaluate whether TwinLight® is a good fit for you.