Periodontal Treatment for North Finchley Residents

Seek professional help if you notice signs of gum disease. Gingivitis is the early stage and periodontitis is the advanced form. If gums bleed when you brush or floss, schedule an assessment. Other clear signs include red, swollen, or tender gums; persistent bad breath; and gums that pull away from teeth, making them look longer. A North Finchley patient with bleeding gums sought help early, and a deep cleaning stopped the progression. Left untreated, the bone around your teeth can be damaged, leading to loose teeth requiring urgent assessment.

The process starts with a 60 minute consultation. During this visit, we take a careful examination and measure pockets between teeth and gums to gauge the disease stage. Digital imaging checks bone levels around your teeth. The main treatment, scaling and root planing or a deep clean, follows. It usually spans two to four appointments, each about 60 minutes. We remove plaque and tartar from below the gum line and smooth the root surfaces to help the gums reattach. About 4 to 6 weeks after treatment, you return for a review to see how your gums are healing and to remeasure pockets. A maintenance plan follows with hygiene visits every 3 to 4 months to prevent recurrence.

After a deep cleaning you may have tenderness for a few days, which is managed with over-the-counter pain relief such as ibuprofen. We advise a soft food diet for the first 24 to 48 hours and avoiding very hot or cold drinks. Your role in aftercare is essential for long-term success. We will show you effective brushing and cleaning between teeth at home. This is a core part of your treatment. Long-term, you should keep a strict oral hygiene routine and attend maintenance visits as recommended, typically every three months. Red flags requiring immediate contact include severe or increasing pain after three days, significant swelling, or signs of infection. Call us during office hours (Mon/Wed/Fri 9-5, Tue/Thu 11-7) if you experience these symptoms. For out-of-hours emergencies, visit A&E or call 111.

For early gum disease, the main treatment is a professional hygiene appointment plus a strong improvement in your at-home oral care routine. This often reverses the condition. Once it progresses to periodontitis, non-surgical scaling and root planing is the standard option. This procedure removes bacterial deposits deep below the gumline that you cannot reach at home. In very advanced cases where deep pockets remain after this treatment, a surgical option might be discussed, but our approach is to save natural teeth using the least invasive methods first. A recent patient with moderate periodontitis required four sessions and now follows a strict three-month maintenance plan to keep the condition stable and avoid surgery.

To choose what fits you best, ask direct questions whether you see us or another practice in North London. Start with: What stage is my gum disease and what does that mean for long-term tooth health? Then: Is non-surgical treatment enough or will I need a referral for surgery? Also ask about the expected outcome: Is my condition curable or only managed, and what does long-term management involve? Finally ask about costs: What is the total price for the initial treatment and the ongoing maintenance appointments, and do you accept Denplan or Cigna?

The cost depends on how severe your condition is and how many appointments you need. Treatment is often priced per quadrant. As a guide, non-surgical periodontal therapy at our Finchley practice starts from about £250 per quadrant. During your initial consultation, we provide a complete, transparent treatment plan with a full cost breakdown so there are no surprises. This fee includes the detailed cleaning and all follow-up checks related to the initial therapy. Ongoing maintenance has its own fee. We are a private practice and do not offer NHS treatment, but we accept major insurance plans including Max Bupa, Denplan, and Cigna. Please tell our team if you would like to use coverage.