Sooz, I've had it done twice by my periodontist (yes, a specialist). I can tell you my experience was just fine. Almost no discomfort and fast healing. They prescribed a special mouth rinse to use afterward. The rinse does tend to numb your taste buds a bit. Your DH can talk to the doctor about diet, but I wasn't all that limited. There are lots of softer foods, such as pasta, various casseroles, meat loaf. Again, that's been my experience...everyone's different. I was really nervous before having it done, and so relieved to find it wan't a big deal at all.

To be honest, I'm not even that sure what technique or tools my periodontist used, but I don't recall a scalpel. The procedure was completely painless with very minimal discomfort following.

BTW, I've had both the pocket cleaning and gum tissue grafts. Never a problem with either.

See a periodontist. Do not trust a general dentist with this.

In general, when considering any medical procedure, it is best to engage the person who performa the most of those specific procedures. Practice, does indeed make perfect.

Pretty much what Elmer and Zalco said...practice does make perfect, and it's best to have someone who does these specific procedures all day long.

I love my Periodontist!

Kathy, I really love mine, too. It's such a relief when procedures that sound painful really aren't. :-)

I had this done many years ago after Chemo. They peel your gums off your teeth, remove some of the gum(which regrows) and reattach everything. They have special tools and it was not particularly uncomfortable and yes I had a mouth wash and something I used between a couple of teeth to encourage the gum to grow properly. It was a no biggie. My problems were the result of repeated mouth sores during treatment and that was way more of a problem to deal with. I think I ate soup for a couple days after each treatment.

I totally agree with the above that you should go to a specialist. Years ago I allowed a dentist to do it - much pain, no anesthesia, it was awful. Not only that, my teeth began to rot under the gum-line afterwards and I lost 3 molars within the next 2 years.

Yes, his appointment is with a periodontist! Sorry for the confusion!

He has a couple of pockets that measure "6" and a couple that measure "5."

Sooz

Good...tell him all will be fine.

Use a periodontist. I've had the procedure done by both. The periodontist had to come in several years later and fix things as the dentist had removed too much tissue and that caused more problems.

Here's a little word of caution: My husband's dentist retired and the young new guy who bought the practice suggested at his first cleaning that he have this 'deep cleaning", and scheduled $800 worth of services. I told my regular hygienist, who worked at a periodontist office, about it and she says that there are money-making seminars for the trade, and an emphasis on paying off the expenses of buying or starting a practice. This is one of the commonest things recommended. She knows because enough people came in for a second opinion.

I had this type work done so long ago that I'm not certain about pain level, but I think it was minimal and I don't recall long lasting eating issues beyond a day or two perhaps. HOwever, I would imagine that if gums were reduced over several sequential teeth that it might be a more serious issue. I just had a couple pockets in back teeth. I also had a deep scaling once (more recently) and I don't recall any issues or limitations at all.

sushipup1, similar to my experience back in the late 1980s. Had a friend who'd recently graduated from Dental college and trying to start a practice. He was temporarily using space in another dentist's office until he could open his own. He told me about this new process, "deep scaling" which I had done in one quadrant, thinking it'd help him along his way. He removed too much tissue and later I had to go to a periodontist to "save my teeth". I did end up losing one.

The procedure was done in the other dentist's office, after hours, with my friend's wife assisting. She passed out during the procedure. I was gassed up but remember him drag her from the room. It was comical at the time. He's no longer my friend but not because of that.

My sister was told by her dentist about the same time that I had mine done that she had bad gums and needed the same treatment that I had. She didn't make an appointment right away because she knew what I had gone through. Then they changed dental insurance where she worked and she had to seek another dentist. When she went for her first exam and cleaning, etc. the dentist told her to come back in 6 months. So my sister said "what about the deep cleaning on the gums?" The dentist looked at her and said "there's nothing wrong with your gums." So I have a feeling that there were a lot of dentists out there raking in a lot of money over this unneeded "new" procedure.

No problems with my gums ... well, with a bit of a proviso that they complain, some, on occasion, claiming that the tongue pressures them too heavily when fracturing the food. And the tongue has gotten stronger, I imagine, with all of that sustained activity in recent years.

I tell them that they used to have just as much pressure when the teeth pressed up or down as they fractured the food, and furthermore, that often the tongue presses the food against the roof of the mouth, and that would have been loaded on them, back when the teeth were active. And I figure that a lot of their complaint rests on them getting the pressure directly now, when it used to be second hand.

They are somewhat less than fully appreciative of my arguments.

And I hope that you won't come to suggest to them that, just maybe, when hard tooth pressed against hard tooth when fracturing the food - that it may have been somewhat more efficient, so requiring less push than when soft (though hardening/strengthening tongue) pushes the food against a soft gum.

I'll have to emphasize more, too, I think, that the food gets a lot more chopping up before it comes in the door, as well.

Sometimes it does get a bit difficult to get a fair hearing for one's arguments.

ole joyful

P.s. just ask a fella called Trump ... or the ones on the other side

o j

There are actually two procedures that I think you are talking about. There's scaling and root planing where the dentist goes under the gum line to scrape away the plaque. I have had this done twice. There was no pain because they anesthetize your gums during the procedure. If I remember correctly they do two quadrants at a time so it requires two visits. The other procedure is surgery to reduce the size of the pockets. I have had that done in two areas. The areas were anesthetized and afterwards I felt no pain at all. The dentist prescribed a drug for pain but I didn't have to use it.

Funny this should come up. I’m going into my new dentist for the 4th visit on Tuesday. Last cleaning in March the hygienist made me feel awful about the condition of my gums, that I might need some extra work if my gums don’t improve with this cleaning. Mind you, I floss, rinse, and brush regularly and have nice teeth. A hygienist acquaintance of mine told me this dentist always looks for ways to pad the bill. I’ll give them another chance, but if they suggest my gums are bad I’m outta there.

sleeperblues, if you want to get a possible indication of the truth, should it be suggested that you need additional services, ask for a referral to a periodontist. Or, ask if they can recommend another dentist for a second opinion. See what happens.

With service providers in general, not just dentists but certainly including some, it's become a standard tactic to try to drum up extra business by scaring customers/patients with "if you don't do this, I'm worried that......" or other nebulous type comments. Sadly, I saw this in my consulting profession with competitors and even with colleagues, but of course it's done by too many professionals and tradespersons as well. I have a relative who's a dentist and they bemoan how a few bad apples have undermined patient expectations of integrity even with honest dentists, as this one is.

When you find providers with honesty and integrity, hold tight and hope they don't move or retire anytime soon.

I had this procedure done probably 30 years ago. Raised in a home where the only adult had dentures and no clue about dental hygiene, or money for dentists, which had bad consequences for me. But after the procedure (I don't recall pain or diet, so it couldn't have been significant) I began having 4x yearly perio cleaning and never had another problem with my gums. I'm on Medicare now and they will only pay for 2 cleanings a year, so I pay for a 3rd and there has not been any increase in problems with my gums, even with the reduction in cleanings. Home hygiene is the answer to the problem.

Oly, I don't believe Medicare itself covers normal dental services. If you have some insurance coverage I'll guess it's through your supplemental coverage.

There are Medicare Advantage plans that offer some dental benefits but they are limited and many dentists refuse to work with them, I assume that they don't pay well enough. But it's better than nothing. I told my dental admin. office that they weren't listed on the plan and if DH ever retires and we no longer have the dental insurance that we have now we would have to go to a different dentist. She sort of wrinkled up her nose like she was smelling something bad and said "we don't accept that kind of insurance". So I mentioned it to the hygienist and she said that she doesn't understand why they won't work with this kind of insurance, they are constantly looking to bring in more patients. I said well something is better than nothing in my opinion and she agreed but she just works there.

Elmer, great suggestion. I will follow your advice. Hopefully, my gums have “improved”

Thank you, everyone!

Sooz, let us know how it goes for him!

sleeperblues: how much do you really like your dentist? If the dentist is trying to sell you a bill of goods, it sounds like they might be untrustable. How can you believe anything they say? I personally would be looking for another dentist.