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Periodontics
Specialist care from a Board Certified Periodontist, for gum disease that needs more than a cleaning and for gums and bone that need rebuilding.
Specialist Care
A Board Certified Periodontist in Long Beach
When to See a Periodontist
- Pockets that stayed deep after a cleaning
- Gums that have pulled back from the roots
- Bone loss showing on your X-rays
- Teeth that feel loose or have drifted
- Implants planned where the bone is thin
Periodontics is the dental specialty for the gums and the bone that hold your teeth. A periodontist has additional specialty training in treating gum disease, rebuilding lost gum and bone, and placing dental implants.
At our Long Beach office that specialist is Dr. Rafiel Rafiee, who works alongside Dr. Camille Adli, so advanced care doesn’t mean a referral across town. If you’re still finding out whether you have gum disease, start with our guide to gum disease, its signs and stages.
Charting Your Gums
Measuring Before We Treat
Specialist care starts with measurements. Dr. Rafiee checks the pocket around each tooth with a thin probe, notes where the gums bleed or have receded, and reads your X-rays for the level of bone. That chart decides which treatment you need, and later shows whether it worked.
What we record at each tooth:
- How deep the gum pocket is
- Bleeding when gently probed
- How far the gum has receded
- The bone level on your X-rays
Treatments
Periodontal Treatments
We start with the least invasive option that will work. Surgery is for problems a deep cleaning can’t fix.
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Scaling and Root Planing
A deep cleaning below the gumline. Tartar is removed from the roots and the surfaces are smoothed so the gums can heal against them.
Used forEarly to moderate periodontitis. Usually the first step.
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LANAP® Laser Treatment
An FDA-cleared laser protocol that treats deep pockets without cutting the gums away and without stitches.
Used forModerate to severe gum disease.
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Flap Surgery
The gum is gently lifted back so the roots can be cleaned in full view, then closed snugly around the teeth to reduce the pocket.
Used forDeep pockets that remain after a deep cleaning.
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Gum Grafting
Tissue is placed where the gums have receded, to cover and protect exposed roots.
Used forReceding gums and sensitive, exposed roots.
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Bone Grafting
Graft material is placed where bone has been lost, giving your body a framework to rebuild on.
Used forBone loss around teeth, or before an implant.
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Dental Implants
An implant replaces the root of a missing tooth and holds a crown, so the new tooth stands on its own.
Used forTeeth lost to gum disease or injury.
Your Treatment
What to Expect, Step by Step
Consultation and Charting
Dr. Rafiee examines your gums, measures each pocket and reviews your X-rays. For implant planning, a CBCT scan, a 3D X-ray, shows the bone in detail.
Your Plan and Costs
Dr. Rafiee explains the findings and your options, and we go over what your insurance covers before you decide.
A Deep Cleaning First
Most plans begin with scaling and root planing. We check how your gums respond before going further.
Surgery or LANAP®, If Needed
The area is numbed first, so you should feel pressure rather than pain. You’ll go home with clear aftercare instructions.
A Healing Check
We see you again to check healing and measure your pockets against the first chart.
Ongoing Maintenance
Periodontal maintenance cleanings, with Laser Bacterial Reduction, protect the result. We’ll set how often with you.
Who Treats You
Dr. Rafiel Rafiee
Board Certified Periodontist Implants & Periodontics
Dr. Rafiee focuses on periodontics and dental implants: treating advanced gum disease, rebuilding gum and bone, and placing implants. Dr. Rafiee works in the same office as Dr. Camille Adli, who has practiced in Long Beach since 1997 and is LANAP® certified, so your specialist and your general dentist plan your care together. Meet our dentists.
Cost and Insurance
Many PPO plans cover part of periodontal treatment. We accept most PPO plans, including Delta Dental, MetLife, Cigna, Guardian, United Concordia, ILWU and Operating Engineers, and we’ll check your benefits before treatment. CareCredit and Sunbit offer monthly payments. See financing options.
Questions
Periodontics FAQs
A periodontist is a dentist with additional specialty training in the gums, the bone around the teeth and dental implants. Your general dentist looks after everyday care; a periodontist treats the more advanced problems.
The area is numbed before treatment, so you should feel pressure rather than pain. Some soreness and swelling afterward is normal, and we’ll explain how to manage it.
Often, yes. Your gums need to be healthy first, and if bone has been lost, a bone graft may be needed to support the implant. A CBCT scan shows how much bone there is.
Many PPO plans cover part of it, depending on your plan and the treatment. We’ll check your benefits and go over your share before you start. CareCredit and Sunbit can help with the rest.
Yes. Dr. Rafiee works alongside Dr. Adli in the same office, so your specialist treatment and your regular check-ups stay in one place.