Periodontal Treatment & Gum Disease Care in Utica, NY

Personalized Treatment for Healthier Gums and Long-Term Oral Health

At Sauquoit Creek Dental, Dr. Ninel Wendover takes periodontal health seriously. Gum disease can affect far more than your gums—it can compromise the supporting structures of your teeth and, without appropriate treatment, contribute to tooth loss.

Serving patients throughout Utica, Sauquoit, New Hartford, and surrounding communities, our practice provides individualized periodontal care designed to control infection, manage inflammation, and help preserve natural teeth whenever possible.

From scaling and root planing to ongoing periodontal maintenance, our approach focuses on identifying the extent of disease and recommending treatment appropriate for each patient's needs.

Personalized Periodontal Care

The Right Treatment for Your Individual Needs

Not all periodontal disease is the same, and not every patient requires the same treatment.

Some patients benefit from traditional nonsurgical periodontal therapy, while others may require more advanced care to address deeper periodontal pockets, supporting bone loss, or complications involving dental implants.

Dr. Wendover carefully evaluates each patient's periodontal condition, reviews their medical and dental history, and discusses available treatment options.

Our focus is on managing periodontal disease effectively while preserving natural teeth and healthy surrounding structures whenever possible.

Scaling and Root Planing (SRP)

A Deeper Cleaning to Help Control Gum Disease

Scaling and root planing, commonly referred to as a deep cleaning, is a nonsurgical treatment used to manage periodontal disease.

Unlike a routine preventive dental cleaning, which focuses on removing deposits from accessible tooth surfaces, scaling and root planing addresses plaque, tartar, and bacterial buildup beneath the gumline.

During treatment, specialized dental instruments are used to remove deposits from the teeth and root surfaces. Root surfaces are treated as needed to help reduce bacterial accumulation and support gum tissue healing.

Benefits of Scaling and Root Planing

SRP may help:

  • Remove plaque and tartar from beneath the gumline.

  • Reduce gum inflammation and bleeding.

  • Help periodontal pockets become shallower as tissues heal.

  • Improve the health of surrounding gum tissue.

  • Slow the progression of periodontal disease when combined with appropriate ongoing care.

Depending on the extent of periodontal disease, treatment may be completed over multiple appointments. Local anesthesia may be used to help maintain your comfort.

Following treatment, your gums will be reevaluated to determine how well they have responded and whether additional periodontal care is recommended.

Scaling and root planing is often an important first step in controlling periodontal disease and helping patients regain healthier gums.

LANAP® Laser Periodontal Treatment

Advanced Laser Technology for Treating Gum Disease in Utica, NY

For patients with moderate to advanced periodontal disease, traditional deep cleaning alone may not always be sufficient.

At Sauquoit Creek Dental, Dr. Ninel Wendover offers LANAP® (Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure), a minimally invasive, laser-based treatment protocol designed to manage periodontitis while preserving healthy surrounding tissue.

Using the PerioLase MVP-7 laser, LANAP targets diseased tissue and bacteria within periodontal pockets. The procedure also involves removing deposits from tooth roots and treating affected areas to support healing.

Unlike traditional periodontal surgery, which may involve cutting and repositioning gum tissue, LANAP uses a laser-assisted approach without conventional scalpel incisions or sutures as part of the protocol.

Potential Benefits of LANAP

For appropriate candidates, LANAP may offer:

  • Minimally Invasive Treatment: An alternative to certain traditional periodontal surgical procedures.

  • Preservation of Healthy Tissue: Helps target affected tissue while minimizing unnecessary disruption to surrounding structures.

  • Reduced Bleeding and Swelling: Some patients experience less bleeding and swelling compared with conventional surgery.

  • Improved Comfort: Some patients report less postoperative discomfort.

  • Support for Periodontal Healing: Treatment aims to reduce inflammation and support healing of the tissues surrounding the teeth.

  • Potential for Improved Attachment: In selected cases, periodontal attachment improvements may occur following treatment.

Who May Benefit from LANAP?

LANAP may be considered for patients with moderate to advanced periodontitis, particularly when deeper periodontal pockets or supporting bone loss require more extensive treatment.

However, not every patient with gum disease requires laser treatment.

Dr. Wendover will carefully evaluate your periodontal health and determine whether LANAP, scaling and root planing, or another treatment approach is most appropriate.

Our goal is to help patients manage periodontal disease while preserving their natural teeth whenever possible.

LAPIP™ Laser Implant Treatment

Helping Protect the Health of Your Dental Implants

Dental implants are designed to replace missing teeth, but they still require healthy surrounding gums and supporting bone to remain stable.

Just like natural teeth, dental implants can develop inflammation and infection in the surrounding tissues.

When inflammation is limited to the soft tissue around an implant, it is referred to as peri-implant mucositis. When the condition involves progressive loss of supporting bone, it is known as peri-implantitis.

Without appropriate care, peri-implantitis can threaten the long-term stability of a dental implant.

What Is LAPIP?

At Sauquoit Creek Dental, Dr. Wendover offers LAPIP™ (Laser-Assisted Peri-Implantitis Procedure), a specialized laser-based treatment protocol designed to help manage peri-implantitis.

Using PerioLase laser technology, LAPIP addresses affected tissues and bacterial contamination around dental implants.

The procedure is intended to help control inflammation, support healing, and minimize unnecessary disruption to surrounding tissues.

Potential Benefits of LAPIP

For appropriate patients, LAPIP may:

  • Help reduce bacterial contamination around affected implants.

  • Address inflamed or diseased tissue surrounding an implant.

  • Provide a minimally invasive treatment option.

  • Minimize disruption to healthy surrounding tissue.

  • Support healing and management of peri-implant inflammation.

  • Help preserve an affected dental implant when successful treatment is possible.

Signs of Problems Around Dental Implants

Warning signs may include:

  • Bleeding when brushing around an implant.

  • Redness, swelling, or tenderness of the surrounding gums.

  • Persistent bad taste or drainage near an implant.

  • Gum recession or changes in the tissue around an implant.

  • Discomfort when chewing.

  • Changes in implant stability.

Peri-implantitis can sometimes progress without significant discomfort, making regular evaluations important.

Not every compromised implant can be saved. Treatment outcomes depend on the severity of the condition, existing bone support, and other individual factors.

If you notice changes around an existing dental implant, we encourage you to schedule an evaluation.

Advanced Periodontal Laser Care in Utica, NY

Dr. Wendover has dedicated significant continuing education to understanding periodontal disease and the advanced techniques available to treat it.

By offering traditional periodontal therapy alongside LANAP and LAPIP laser treatment, Sauquoit Creek Dental provides patients with multiple options for managing gum disease and complications affecting dental implants.

Our approach combines modern technology, careful diagnosis, and individualized treatment planning to help protect your oral health for the long term.

Periodontal Maintenance

Protecting Your Results for the Long Term

Successfully treating periodontal disease is only part of the process. Maintaining healthier gums afterward is equally important.

Periodontitis is a chronic condition that can recur or progress without appropriate ongoing management.

Periodontal maintenance is a specialized program of continuing professional care for patients who have previously undergone treatment for periodontal disease.

Unlike a routine preventive cleaning, periodontal maintenance focuses on monitoring and managing a history of gum disease.

What Happens During Periodontal Maintenance?

Depending on your individual needs, maintenance appointments may include:

  • Removing plaque and tartar from above and below the gumline.

  • Evaluating gum inflammation and bleeding.

  • Monitoring periodontal pocket depths.

  • Assessing gum recession and supporting bone loss.

  • Checking for signs of recurring or progressing periodontal disease.

  • Reviewing home care techniques and recommending improvements.

  • Evaluating the health of dental implants when applicable.

How Often Is Periodontal Maintenance Needed?

Many patients with a history of periodontitis benefit from periodontal maintenance appointments approximately every three to four months, although the appropriate interval varies based on individual risk factors and disease stability.

Dr. Wendover will recommend a maintenance schedule based on your periodontal health, treatment history, and risk of disease progression.

Even when your gums feel healthy and you are no longer experiencing bleeding or discomfort, ongoing maintenance remains important.

Periodontal maintenance is not simply another cleaning. It is an essential part of managing a chronic condition and protecting the results of your treatment.

Dr. Wendover's Commitment to Advanced Periodontal Care

Continuing Education. Modern Technology. Personalized Treatment.

Dr. Wendover believes that healthy gums are essential to maintaining natural teeth and long-term oral health.

Recognizing the serious consequences of untreated periodontal disease, she has invested considerable time in continuing education focused on periodontal diagnosis, treatment, and advanced techniques.

Her approach emphasizes:

  • Early Detection: Identifying periodontal concerns before additional damage occurs.

  • Personalized Treatment Planning: Recommending care based on each patient's individual condition.

  • Advanced Techniques: Incorporating appropriate treatment methods based on clinical needs.

  • Patient Education: Helping patients understand their periodontal health and available treatment choices.

  • Long-Term Maintenance: Supporting periodontal stability following active treatment.

We believe patients deserve to understand their condition, why treatment is recommended, and what they can do to protect their oral health moving forward.

Healthy Gums. Stronger Teeth. Lasting Confidence.

Periodontal disease can have serious consequences, but with appropriate treatment and continued care, many patients can successfully manage their condition and maintain their natural teeth.

At Sauquoit Creek Dental, we combine established periodontal treatment techniques with Dr. Wendover's commitment to continuing education and individualized care.

Our goal isn't simply to treat gum disease. It's to help you protect your natural teeth, maintain healthier gums, and preserve your smile for years to come.

Contact our Utica office to schedule a periodontal evaluation and learn which treatment options may be appropriate for you.