At Cleland Periodontics, we stress that periodontal health should be achieved in the least invasive and most cost-effective manner. This is often accomplished through non-surgical periodontal treatment, including scaling and root planning (a careful cleaning of the root surfaces to remove bacterial toxins), followed by adjunctive therapy such as local delivery of antimicrobials and host modulation, as needed on a case-by-case basis. It is Dr. Fraser’s experience that after scaling and root planing, many patients do not require any further active treatment, including surgical therapy. However, the majority of patients will require ongoing maintenance therapy to sustain health. Non-surgical therapy does have its limitations, however, and when it does not achieve periodontal health, surgery may be indicated to restore periodontal anatomy damaged by periodontal disease. This will serve to facilitate oral hygiene practices further maintain your dentition.