Unique Smile Turkey
Gum disease affects the tissue and bone that hold your teeth in place. It starts with plaque, a sticky, colourless film of bacteria that forms on teeth every day. Brushing and cleaning between the teeth removes it; what is left behind hardens into calculus, and the gum reacts with inflammation. Left long enough, that inflammation reaches the bone.
Periodontal care at Unique Smile Turkey is led by Prof. Ismet Duran DDS, PhD, a professor of periodontology whose clinical work covers periodontal surgery, mucogingival (plastic) gum surgery, gingival recession treatment and guided tissue regeneration.
Gingivitis is the earliest stage. Gums look red and swollen and bleed when you brush, but the bone is untouched, and the condition is reversible. Periodontitis is what gingivitis can become if it is not treated: the inflammation spreads below the gum, pockets form between gum and root, and the supporting bone is gradually lost. Teeth can then drift, feel loose or, in advanced cases, be lost altogether.
Not every case of gingivitis becomes periodontitis, but almost every case of periodontitis began as untreated gingivitis. Our blog covers this in more depth in gum disease: signs, stages and treatment and gingivitis and how to reverse it.
Gum disease is often symptomless until it is advanced, so bleeding is the signal that matters most. Healthy gums do not bleed.
A periodontal assessment records the depth of the pocket around every tooth, where the gum bleeds on gentle probing, how much recession is present and whether any teeth are mobile. X-rays show the bone level, which is what separates gingivitis from periodontitis and determines the stage. Only after that is a treatment plan written.
Most patients start here. Scaling removes calculus above and below the gum line, and root surface debridement cleans the root within the pocket so that the tissue can reattach. Treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic and is usually spread over one or more sessions depending on how many sites are involved. Where indicated, local antimicrobials are used alongside cleaning.
The site is reassessed after healing. Pockets that have shallowed and stopped bleeding are managed with maintenance; sites that have not responded are considered for surgical access.
Where deep pockets persist or the bone defect cannot be cleaned from above, flap surgery gives direct access to the root surface and the defect. Depending on the shape of the defect the surgeon may reshape the bone so the area becomes cleanable, or use a bone graft with a barrier membrane to regenerate part of the lost support. Guided tissue regeneration is not suitable for every defect; the anatomy decides.
Receded gums expose root surfaces, which are sensitive and prone to decay, and they change how a smile looks. A free gingival graft or connective tissue graft can cover exposed roots and thicken thin tissue. At the other end of the scale, a gum line that sits too low over the teeth can be reshaped with gingivectomy or gingivoplasty as part of treatment for receding gums or a wider smile design.
Restorative work is only as stable as the tissue underneath it. Inflamed gums bleed during preparation, make accurate impressions harder and shorten the life of the result, which is why periodontal treatment is sequenced before crowns, veneers and dental implants. Patients with a history of periodontitis also carry a higher risk of infection around implants later on; that condition is covered on our peri-implantitis treatment page.
If you are travelling to Antalya for treatment, send recent X-rays through our contact page before you book. Periodontal treatment is usually staged, so the plan sets out how many appointments are needed, how they fit into your stay and what has to be reviewed once you are home. Where gum treatment is the first phase of a larger plan, the sequence and the timing between phases are agreed before you travel.
Periodontitis is a chronic condition that is controlled rather than cured. Keeping it stable means cleaning between the teeth every day with interdental brushes sized to your gaps, professional maintenance at intervals set by your risk, and stopping smoking, which is one of the strongest risk factors for both gum disease and implant complications. Diabetes control matters for the same reason.
Book an examination if your gums bleed regularly, if they are swollen or painful, if bad breath persists despite good cleaning, or if a tooth has become loose. A swelling with pain or fever should be seen urgently. This page is general information and cannot replace an examination with X-rays.
Is gum disease reversible?
Gingivitis, the early stage, is usually reversible: once the plaque and calculus are removed and daily cleaning improves, inflamed gums settle within a few weeks. Periodontitis is different, because the bone that has been lost does not grow back on its own. Treatment then aims to stop the disease progressing and, in selected defects, to regenerate part of what was lost.
Does periodontal treatment hurt?
Deep cleaning is carried out under local anaesthetic, so the procedure itself is comfortable. Gums can feel tender and teeth may be sensitive to cold for a few days afterwards, which settles as the tissue heals.
Can I have veneers or implants if I have gum disease?
Not until the gums are stable. Placing crowns, veneers or implants on inflamed, infected foundations shortens the life of the restoration and raises the risk of problems later. Periodontal treatment comes first, then the restorative plan is built on healthy tissue.
How many visits does periodontal treatment take?
It depends on the stage. Localised cases are often managed in one or two appointments plus a review; more advanced cases are staged across several sessions, sometimes including surgical access, and are then followed by a maintenance programme. Your treatment plan is set out after the examination and X-rays.
Will my gums grow back?
Receded gum does not regrow by itself. Where recession is a functional or aesthetic problem, it can often be covered with a soft tissue graft, and the outcome depends on the type of recession and the bone level around the tooth.
Reviewed by Prof. Ismet Duran DDS, PhD, professor of periodontology, Unique Smile Turkey, Antalya. General information only; it is not a diagnosis or a treatment recommendation for an individual patient.