Services
Gum Disease Treatment
We treat bleeding, inflamed gums with deep cleanings, laser dentistry, and periodontal care that protects your smile.
Why choose us
Benefits of Gum Disease Treatment
Stop Gum Disease Early
We treat bleeding, swollen gums before they threaten your teeth and bone.
Save Your Natural Teeth
Deep cleanings and periodontal care help keep loose teeth in place.
Full Range Of Care
From scaling and root planing to gum grafting and periodontal surgery, we handle it here.
No Referral Needed
You can come straight to us for periodontal treatment without a referral.
Flexible Ways To Pay
We accept all major PPO plans, self-pay, and offer flexible payment plans.
If your gums bleed when you brush, if your breath never feels fresh no matter what you try, or if a tooth has started to feel slightly loose, your body is telling you something worth listening to. Bleeding, tenderness, and gums that pull away from the teeth are early signals of gum disease — and the earlier we catch them, the simpler the treatment tends to be. For more than 30 years, our team in Ocala has helped patients from Belleview, Silver Springs, Summerfield, The Villages, and the surrounding Marion County communities get ahead of gum problems before they threaten the teeth they're holding in place.
Gum disease begins when bacterial plaque hardens into tartar along and beneath the gumline. The gum tissue responds with inflammation — gingivitis, the earliest and most reversible stage. Left alone, that inflammation works deeper, forming pockets between the gum and the root where bacteria thrive out of reach of a toothbrush. This is periodontitis, and over time it breaks down the bone that anchors your teeth. It's a quiet process. Many people have no pain at all until a tooth shifts or feels loose.
Because it's so quiet, diagnosis matters. During a dental exam, we measure the depth of the spaces around each tooth, check for bleeding and recession, and look at X-rays to see whether bone loss has begun. Those numbers tell us whether you need a thorough cleaning and better home care, or a deeper therapeutic approach. Our hygienist is an essential part of this, and because we see patients of all ages, we can address gum health in teenagers, adults, and seniors alike.
For most patients, treatment begins with scaling and root planing — a deep cleaning that removes hardened deposits from below the gumline and smooths the root surfaces so tissue can reattach. It's typically done with local anesthesia, often one side of the mouth at a time, and many patients are surprised by how manageable it feels. For those who get anxious in a dental chair, we offer nitrous oxide and oral sedation so the appointment passes comfortably. We also use laser dentistry as part of our approach to gum therapy.
When gum disease has advanced further, more involved care may be appropriate. We perform periodontal surgery, gum grafting to cover exposed roots and rebuild lost tissue, periodontal regeneration, bone grafting, crown lengthening, and gingivectomy. When a tooth can't be saved, we can plan replacement with dental implants, implant-supported bridges, or dentures — and our on-site dental lab means restorations and repairs often move faster than they would elsewhere. We accept patients without a referral for periodontal care, so you can start here.
Who Benefits, and What to Know Before You Begin
The patients we treat for gum disease arrive from very different places. Some have skipped cleanings for years and know it. Some brush and floss faithfully but have a family history of periodontal problems. Others are managing diabetes, pregnancy-related gum changes, or dry mouth from medication — all of which can make gums more vulnerable. Smokers and former smokers are at higher risk as well. We also see patients who need healthy gums as a foundation before orthodontics, veneers, crowns, or implants.
A few things are worth knowing before treatment:
- Gum disease is managed, not cured — your results depend on ongoing care at home and in our office
- Some sensitivity and mild soreness after a deep cleaning is normal and usually brief
- Gums that have receded will not grow back on their own, though grafting can often restore coverage
- Treatment may be completed over more than one visit, depending on how many areas are involved
- If you're in pain or a tooth feels loose, we offer emergency appointments rather than making you wait
Healing, Results, and Staying Ahead of It
In the days after a deep cleaning, gums often feel tender and may look slightly different as swelling goes down. We'll give you specific instructions, and warm salt-water rinses plus gentle brushing usually carry you through comfortably. Over the following weeks, bleeding typically decreases, breath improves, and tissue tightens around the teeth.
From there, periodontal maintenance replaces routine cleaning. These visits come on a shorter interval — commonly every three to four months — so we can measure pockets, remove new buildup, and catch any backsliding early. If you grind your teeth, a night guard may be part of protecting the result, and we fabricate those as well.
Insurance, Payment, and Getting Started
We accept all major PPO insurance plans and file periodontal claims as a general practice. We also welcome self-pay and cash patients, and we offer flexible payment plans so that treatment can be scheduled when it's needed rather than postponed.
Dr. Hussein Salifu, Dr. Marco Geris, and our team would be glad to take a look and tell you honestly where your gums stand. Call us to schedule an exam — whether you've noticed bleeding this week or haven't had a cleaning in years, you're welcome here.
The process
What to expect
- 1
Periodontal Exam
We measure your gum pockets, check your bone health, and explain exactly what we find.
- 2
Targeted Treatment
Depending on the stage, we clean below the gumline or perform surgical and grafting procedures.
- 3
Ongoing Maintenance
Our hygienist keeps you on a periodontal maintenance schedule so your gums stay healthy.