Periodontal Care in Aurora, IL
A periodontist is the dental specialist for the gum and bone that hold your teeth in place. Most people meet one because a general dentist has found deep pockets, bleeding that will not settle, receding gums or a tooth that has started to move.
Chicago Implant Studio is a periodontal and implant practice on Eola Road in Aurora. That combination is deliberate: the tissue that supports a natural tooth is the same tissue that supports an implant, so the diagnosis, the surgery and the long-term maintenance all sit with one specialist rather than being split across offices.
When to see a periodontist
Any of these is worth an appointment:
- Gums that bleed when you brush or floss, even a little
- Breath that does not improve with brushing and mouthwash
- Gums pulling back so teeth look longer, or a notch appearing at the gum line
- Teeth that feel loose, have drifted, or whose bite has changed
- Sensitivity at the gum line to cold or to touch
- A dentist has told you that you have pockets of 4 mm or more
- You are considering implants and have been told the gums need treating first
Gum disease is largely painless until it is advanced, which is why it is so often found at a routine check-up rather than reported by the patient. Bone that has been lost around a tooth does not grow back on its own — catching it early is what preserves the option of keeping the tooth.
What we treat
Gum disease
From gingivitis, which is reversible, through to periodontitis, which is manageable but not curable. Treatment starts non-surgically and escalates only where it needs to. See gum disease treatment.
Laser gum therapy
Laser-assisted treatment of deeper pockets, with less bleeding and less post-operative swelling than traditional flap surgery for suitable cases. See laser gum surgery.
Gum recession
Grafting to cover exposed root surface, stop the recession progressing and reduce sensitivity. See gum recession treatment.
Bone grafting and sinus lifts
Rebuilding bone volume so an implant can be placed, or preserving a socket at the time a tooth is removed. See dental bone grafting.
Gummy smile correction
Reshaping the gum line where too much gum shows when you smile. See fixing a gummy smile.
Periodontal maintenance
Once gum disease has been treated, it is controlled rather than cured. Maintenance cleanings on a three or four month cycle are what keep it controlled, and they are a different appointment from a standard hygiene visit.
Why gum health decides implant outcomes
Peri-implantitis is gum disease around an implant, and it behaves the same way — silent, progressive, and destructive to the bone holding the implant. A patient with untreated periodontal disease who receives implants is at meaningfully higher risk of losing them.
This is why we treat and stabilise the gums before placing implants rather than alongside. It adds time to the plan. It also protects the investment. If you are researching dental implants, this is the part that rarely gets mentioned and matters most.
Periodontal maintenance is the part that decides the outcome
Treating gum disease is the easier half. Keeping it treated is what determines whether you still have the teeth in ten years, and it comes down to the interval between cleanings.
A standard hygiene visit every six months is designed for healthy gums. A mouth that has had periodontitis re-colonises with bacteria in roughly three months, which is why maintenance is set at three to four month intervals. Patients who drift back to six-monthly visits are the ones whose pockets return, and it is the most predictable pattern in periodontics.
How we sequence a case
Periodontal treatment is staged deliberately, and the order is not negotiable:
- Stabilise the infection first. Non-surgical treatment, re-measured at a re-evaluation visit four to eight weeks later.
- Treat what is left. Laser therapy, surgery or regenerative grafting, only where the re-evaluation shows it is needed.
- Rebuild. Gum grafting for recession, bone grafting where an implant is planned.
- Restore. Implants or restorative work, once the foundation is sound.
- Maintain. Every three to four months, indefinitely.
The cost of doing this in order is time. The cost of doing it out of order is usually the work itself. See also our periodontal and oral surgery services.
What your first visit involves
- A full periodontal chart — six measurements around every tooth, recorded so change can be tracked over time
- X-rays, and a CBCT 3D scan where bone volume needs to be measured properly
- A review of your medical history, because diabetes, smoking and some medications all affect gum health
- An explanation of what was found, shown to you on the chart rather than described in the abstract
- A written treatment plan, sequenced, with costs
Our service area
2460 S Eola Rd, Aurora, IL 60503. Patients come to us from Naperville, Oswego, Plainfield, Montgomery, Yorkville, Batavia, Bolingbrook and Joliet. Directions and parking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a periodontist and a dentist?
A periodontist completes additional specialist training in the gum and bone supporting teeth, plus implant surgery. A general dentist handles routine care and refers more advanced gum problems on.
Do I need a referral to see a periodontist?
No. You can book directly. We will keep your general dentist informed if you would like us to.
Is gum disease treatment painful?
Non-surgical treatment is done under local anaesthetic and most patients find it comfortable. Some tenderness and sensitivity for a few days afterwards is normal.
Can gum disease be cured?
Gingivitis can be reversed completely. Periodontitis can be stopped and controlled, but the bone already lost does not return on its own, and it needs ongoing maintenance.
How much does periodontal treatment cost?
It depends entirely on how advanced the disease is and how many areas are affected. You get a written plan with costs before anything begins.
Will my insurance cover it?
Many plans cover periodontal treatment more generously than they cover implants. We check your benefits before treatment starts.