Gum Disease Treatment
in Marlton, NJ
 Gum disease treatment at Periodontal Health Professionals in Marlton, NJ is a periodontal specialty service led by board-certified periodontist Dr. Gail Childers, who has been treating gum disease in South Jersey for 30 years.
If you've noticed bleeding when you brush, gums that look red or pulled back, persistent bad breath, or a tooth that feels loose, you're looking at the typical warning signs that bring patients to a periodontist. The good news is that most stages of gum disease respond well to treatment, and the earlier we catch it, the more conservative the treatment can be.
Our Marlton office sees patients from across Burlington and Camden counties, including referrals from general dentists who want a specialist managing complex cases. Gum disease treatment is part of the broader periodontal services we offer – gum grafting, regenerative work, and dental implants among them – and we coordinate with your regular dentist so the treatment plan supports the rest of your dental care, not just the gum-disease piece in isolation. For patients still in the early stages of figuring out what's going on, the symptoms of gum disease page walks through what bleeding gums, recession, and persistent bad breath actually indicate.
For patients closer to the Washington Township area, we also see gum disease cases at our Turnersville office on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
On This Page
Understanding the Stages of Gum Disease
Gum disease almost always starts quietly. By the time most people notice something is wrong, the disease has usually already moved past the easiest stage to treat. Knowing where you fall on the spectrum changes which treatment makes sense for you and how much can realistically be reversed.
Gingivitis is the earliest stage. The gums are inflamed from plaque and tartar buildup at the gumline, and they bleed easily when you brush or floss. The bone supporting your teeth hasn't been damaged yet. Gingivitis is fully reversible with professional cleaning and consistent home care. Most patients who come in at this stage can return to healthy gums within a few weeks.
Mild to moderate periodontitis is where the disease starts to do permanent damage. The infection spreads below the gumline, pockets form between the teeth and gums, and the bone that holds your teeth in place begins to break down. You may not feel anything dramatic yet, which is why this stage often gets missed without specialist screening. Treatment at this stage focuses on stopping the bone loss and preventing the disease from advancing further.
Advanced periodontitis is the late-stage form. Pocket depths are deeper, bone loss is significant, and teeth can become loose or shift position. Treatment still helps a great deal at this stage, but the goal shifts toward saving as many teeth as possible and stabilizing what's there. We give every patient honest information about which teeth have a strong long-term outlook and which may not.
Risk factors that push gum disease forward faster include smoking, uncontrolled diabetes, certain medications, and genetics. The body and mouth connection page covers how active gum infection feeds back into systemic conditions like cardiovascular disease and harder-to-control diabetes.
Your Board-Certified Periodontist in Marlton
Dr. Gail Childers is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, which means he completed an additional three-year residency in periodontics on top of dental school and passed the board's comprehensive certification examination. Periodontists are the specialty trained specifically to diagnose and treat gum disease at every stage. The Dr. Gail Childers bio page covers his full credentials, including faculty appointments at the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University.
For gum-disease care specifically, board certification matters because the diagnostic and treatment decisions get more complex as the disease progresses. Reading a periodontal chart, interpreting CBCT bone-loss patterns, choosing between scaling and root planing versus surgical pocket reduction versus regenerative therapy – these are calls that benefit from a specialist who sees gum disease every day. Dr. Childers has been doing this in South Jersey for 30 years, and many of our patients come in as referrals from general dentists who want a periodontist managing the harder cases.
He is also a Fellow of the International Team of Implantology, past President of the Northeastern Society of Periodontists, and active in stem-cell and dental implant research. The clinical approach at our office leans toward conservative, minimally invasive options first – periodontal microsurgery, laser-assisted treatment, and the Chao Pinhole technique for recession – and escalates to traditional surgery only when the disease requires it.
How We Treat Gum Disease
 Treatment starts with a thorough periodontal exam. We measure pocket depths around every tooth, check for bleeding points, look at how the gums attach to each tooth, and take updated X-rays. When the case involves potential bone loss or implant planning, we use CBCT 3D imaging for a more precise view of the bone underneath. The exam tells us exactly what stage you're at and which treatment path makes sense.
For early to moderate cases, the first step is almost always non-surgical. Scaling and root planing, sometimes called a deep cleaning, removes plaque, tartar, and bacterial deposits from below the gumline, then smooths the root surfaces so the gums can reattach. Most patients have this done in one or two visits with local anesthesia, and recovery is mild. Localized antibiotic therapy is sometimes added to the non-surgical treatment plan when pockets need extra targeting after the initial cleaning.
For cases that don't fully respond to non-surgical care, or for moderate-to-advanced disease, surgical or laser-assisted treatment becomes the next step. Common options include:
- Pocket reduction surgery – We access the deeper periodontal pockets directly, remove infected tissue, and reshape the bone if needed so the pockets stay shallow and maintainable long-term.
- LANAP laser treatment – A minimally invasive laser approach that targets diseased tissue while preserving healthy gum, with less post-operative discomfort than traditional gum surgery.
- Regenerative therapy – Bone grafting and biologic materials that rebuild lost bone and reattach the gums to the tooth in cases where the disease has caused significant damage.
- Soft tissue grafting – Addresses gum recession that has exposed root surfaces, often in cases where periodontal disease has thinned the gums.
Each approach involves different recovery times and trade-offs, and we walk through which one fits your case before any decision. For patients leaning toward the least invasive option, LANAP laser treatment uses a specialized laser to target diseased tissue while preserving healthy gum.
Once the active disease is under control, you move into the maintenance phase. Periodontal maintenance visits, usually every three to four months for the first year or two, are essential to keeping the disease from coming back. We coordinate this directly with your general dentist's office whenever possible. More on what maintenance involves is on the periodontal maintenance page.
Benefits of Effective Gum Disease Treatment
The biggest reason to treat gum disease early is that it preserves what you already have. The bone and gum tissue you lose to periodontitis don't come back on their own. Stopping the infection now means keeping the support structure your natural teeth depend on.
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Save natural teeth – Dr. Childers's 30 years of perio work means we can often save teeth that other offices would extract, particularly when loose teeth are involved and a careful stabilization plan is built case by case
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Stop bone loss and rebuild where possible – Treatment halts the active disease process; for cases with significant bone loss, our in-office PRGF-Endoret system supports the regenerative procedures that rebuild what was lost
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Reduce bleeding and bad breath quickly – Two of the most common symptoms that bring patients in tend to resolve within weeks, and the response shows up clearly at your first follow-up exam
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Protect your overall health – Untreated gum infection has documented links to cardiovascular disease and diabetes management; when systemic conditions are part of the picture, we coordinate with your physician
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Preserve implant candidacy – As a Fellow of the International Team of Implantology, Dr. Childers plans gum disease treatment with future implant work in mind for patients who may need it down the road |
Patients who already have loose teeth can often have them stabilized with the right treatment plan. The treatment for loose teeth page explains what we usually do in those cases and which teeth tend to respond best.
Why Choose a Periodontal Specialist for Gum Disease
 General dentists do excellent preventive work and catch gum disease early in routine cleanings. When the disease has moved past gingivitis, the case usually benefits from specialist-level diagnosis and treatment – which is where Dr. Childers's three decades of focused periodontal and implant practice come in. Most patients arrive at our Marlton office either as referrals from local general dentists who want a specialist managing the harder cases, or as patients who searched for a periodontist directly.
A few things shape how we work at Periodontal Health Professionals. Dr. Childers has spent 30 years focused on periodontics and dental implants, not as part of a general practice but as a full-time specialty. He's a Fellow of the International Team of Implantology and teaches the next generation of periodontists at the University of Pennsylvania. The clinical approach favors conservative, minimally invasive options first whenever the case allows, and escalates only when the disease requires it.
On the technology side, our Marlton office uses CBCT 3D imaging for accurate bone-loss assessment, an ultrasonic scaler that's gentler on enamel than traditional metal tools, and PRGF-Endoret for in-office PRP and PRF when regenerative procedures call for it. The Advanced Technology page covers the full set. We don't lean on the tech for marketing purposes; we use it because it gives us better information before we treat and better outcomes afterward.
We've also built a referral-friendly practice. If your general dentist sends you to us, we communicate back with them throughout treatment, share imaging and notes, and structure the maintenance phase so it integrates with the cleanings you already have scheduled. If you came in on your own, we'll help you find a great general dentist if you need one.
Cost and Insurance for Gum Disease Treatment
Cost matters, and we want to be straight with you about how it works for periodontal care. The cost of gum disease treatment varies depending on the stage of disease, how many areas of the mouth need work, whether the treatment is non-surgical or surgical, and whether regenerative procedures like bone grafting are part of the plan. We'll give you a clear, itemized estimate after your initial exam, with no surprises later in the process.
Most dental insurance plans cover at least part of periodontal treatment, and many cover scaling and root planing fairly well. Surgical periodontal procedures and regenerative work tend to involve more variable coverage. Our front desk verifies your specific benefits before treatment starts and walks you through what's covered, what isn't, and what your out-of-pocket portion is likely to look like. We also offer discount programs and payment plans for qualifying patients – more on our insurance and financing options.
Schedule Your Gum Disease Consultation in Marlton
Treating gum disease early almost always means less invasive treatment and a better long-term result. If your dentist has recommended a periodontal exam, or you've been putting one off, this is a good time. Call us at (856) 702-4340 or request an appointment online to get on the schedule. Our Marlton office is at 48 South Maple Ave, Marlton, NJ 08053. You can also reach us through our Contact page with questions before booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can gum disease be reversed?
Gingivitis, the earliest stage, is fully reversible with professional cleaning and consistent home care. Once the disease has progressed to periodontitis and damaged the bone, we can stop it and often rebuild some of the lost tissue, but the disease itself shifts into a manageable condition rather than something that fully reverses. The earlier you treat it, the more we can recover.
Will gum disease treatment hurt?
For non-surgical care like scaling and root planing, we use local anesthesia and most patients describe the appointment as similar to a longer routine cleaning – pressure rather than pain. Surgical and laser-assisted procedures involve a recovery period with some soreness and swelling for a few days, manageable with over-the-counter or prescribed medication. We walk through the comfort plan before any procedure begins.
How long does gum disease treatment take?
Non-surgical treatment is usually completed in one or two visits, with a follow-up exam four to six weeks later to see how the gums responded. Surgical or regenerative cases can stretch over several months from initial exam through final healing. Once active treatment is done, ongoing maintenance visits every three to four months are part of keeping the disease under control long-term.
Do I always need surgery for gum disease?
No. Most early and many moderate cases respond well to non-surgical treatment alone. We only recommend surgery when pocket depths or bone loss have progressed past what scaling and root planing can address, or when the disease has come back after conservative treatment. When surgery is needed, options like LANAP laser treatment are often less invasive than traditional gum surgery.
Why see a periodontist in Marlton instead of my regular dentist?
Periodontists complete three additional years of residency focused specifically on gum disease, bone loss, and dental implants. For early gingivitis, your general dentist's hygienist may handle treatment well. For periodontitis, particularly cases involving bone loss, deep pockets, recession, or loose teeth, specialist-level diagnosis and treatment typically lead to better long-term outcomes. Many general dentists in the Marlton area refer their periodontal cases to our office for that reason.
Does insurance cover gum disease treatment?
Most dental insurance plans cover at least part of gum disease treatment. Scaling and root planing is usually covered fairly well, while surgical and regenerative procedures vary more by plan. Our front desk verifies benefits before treatment so you know what your portion will look like. More on our insurance and financing options.
What happens if I don't treat gum disease?
Untreated gum disease keeps progressing – bone loss continues, pockets deepen, and teeth eventually loosen and can be lost. The consequences of gum disease page documents what happens at each stage, including the systemic effects on cardiovascular health and diabetes management. The good news is the disease is slow-moving in most patients, so there's usually time to intervene if you act on the warning signs.
What are the early warning signs I should watch for?
Bleeding when you brush or floss, gums that look red or swollen, persistent bad breath that doesn't resolve with brushing, gum recession, sensitivity along the gumline, and any tooth that feels loose are all worth attention. The symptoms of gum disease page goes into each of these in more depth, including which ones tend to show up first. If you're noticing any of them, a periodontal exam in Marlton is worth scheduling. |
