What is a Periodontist?

A periodontist is a dental professional specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of gum disease. They also provide implant therapy as well as cosmetic procedures, such as a smile lift. Periodontists provide both surgical and non-surgical treatment to their patients, depending on the best treatment path for each case.

What education does a periodontist receive?

Periodontists complete regular dental school, where they receive a Doctor of Dental Surgery or a Doctor of Medicine in dentistry degree. After dental school, a periodontist will continue their education with specialized training in periodontology that takes an additional 2 to 3 years. Some doctors may also choose to become board certified, which means that they have successfully completed the exam with the American Board of Periodontology.

What is gum disease?

The first stage of gum disease is called gingivitis. This is indicated by the inflammation and bleeding of the gum tissue, especially during oral hygiene. Left untreated, gingivitis will progress into periodontitis, causing more inflammation and bleeding but also bad breath that does not resolve with oral hygiene.

Gingivitis can usually be handled at home with improved oral hygiene practices. Periodontitis is where things get a little tricky and professional intervention is required. Continuing to leave periodontitis untreated, gum disease will progress further to the stage called advanced periodontitis. At this point, damage to the gums, connective tissues, and even the jaw bone is likely. Advanced periodontitis can lead to bone loss, loose teeth, and eventually tooth loss.

What is non-surgical treatment for gum disease?

Scaling and root planing is a deep cleaning that is often the first treatment used, even if surgical treatment will be needed later. For this procedure, your Doctor will administer a local anesthetic to the area being treated. They will then use a combination of manual and ultrasonic tools to remove tartar and bacterial buildup below the gum line.

In some cases, an antibiotic chip may be placed in especially deep gum pockets to speed the healing process.

What surgical treatments are used for gum disease?

There are a number of surgical treatment options that a periodontist can provide, including: laser therapy treatments, regenerative procedures, dental implants, pocket reduction, crown lengthening, and smile lifts.

For patients with periodontal disease who experience gum recession, a periodontist can perform a procedure called a gum graft. This treatment is used to cover exposed tooth roots with tissue taken from the roof of the patient’s mouth, though it is also possible to use synthetic or donor tissue as well.

Periodontists often work in conjunction with a patient’s dentist to provide the best treatment possible. For a patient who needs a dental crown placed by their dentist, but does not have enough exposed tooth structure, the periodontist can perform crown lengthening to expose more of the tooth, thereby providing more surface area for the crown to adhere to.

Dental implants are a great way to restore a missing tooth, and a periodontist will work with a dentist to provide treatment. The periodontist will place the implant; the dentist will restore the implant with the fake tooth.

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