What is a periodontist?
- American Academy of Periodontology What is a Periodontist? A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease (a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth also known as gum disease), and in the placement of dental implants.
What are the benefits of seeing a periodontist?
During regular dental exams, they can help their patients to prevent gum disease from developing through the use of routine dental cleanings. A periodontist receives extra training that includes the latest techniques and technology used to effectively diagnose and treat gum disease.
How does orthodontic treatment help periodontal disease?
Orthodontic treatment can also help align your teeth properly, making them easier to care for. The exact treatments that your dentist or surgeon will choose depends on the severity of the periodontal disease. Your dentist will first start with nonsurgical treatments.
How do periodontists treat gum disease?
Periodontists have a wide array of tools available to fight gum disease. Treatment generally starts with the least invasive and costly measures, which are non-surgical procedures. These include scaling and root planing, where special hand-held instruments are used to clean the root surfaces of the teeth.
What can a periodontist treat?
A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating gum disease. They also help you manage signs of advancing gum problems like oral inflammation. Gum disease happens when the tissue around your teeth gets infected, causing inflammation.
What type of procedures does a periodontist perform?
Common Periodontic Procedures and TreatmentsNon-surgical Periodontal Treatment. Not all periodontal treatment involves a surgery of some sort. ... Scaling and Root Planing. ... Periodontics' Tray Delivery Systems. ... Dental Implants. ... Regeneration. ... Soft Tissue Grafting. ... Gingivectomy.
What are 3 conditions that a periodontist may treat?
Conditions a Periodontist Can TreatPeriodontitist. First and foremost, a “periodontist” treats “periodontitis.” This oral health condition is where the profession derives its name, so you can rest assured that as a periodontist in Kentucky, Dr. ... Gum Recession. ... Bone Loss. ... Loose or Missing Teeth. ... Cosmetic Gum Surgery.
What does periodontal work include?
Periodontal surgery options include: Dental crown lengthening to remove excess gum or bone tissue on a tooth. Soft tissue graft to reduce gum recession and protect the tooth root from damage. Bone graft and tissue graft to prepare for a dental implant or restabilize an existing tooth.
Can a periodontist perform a root canal?
Periodontists are concerned with the health of gums and treating gum disease and inflammation. On the other hand, Endodontists specialize in tooth roots and oral pain. Patients are most commonly referred to them for a complicated root canal.
What is periodontal treatment called?
You may need to have occasional deep cleaning treatments called “scaling and root planing” to treat gum recession. During scaling and root planing, your dentist will clean tartar and plaque from the surface of your teeth and the roots of your teeth.
Why would you need to see a periodontist?
Gum disease and dental implant treatments are the most common reasons to see a periodontist. But you can benefit from a periodontist's skill in other areas: Tooth extraction, which many periodontists refer to as tooth removal. Bone grafting to repair bone loss after tooth removal.
How do periodontists treat gum disease?
Your periodontist makes tiny incisions in your gum so that a section of gum tissue can be lifted back, exposing the roots for more effective scaling and root planing. Because periodontitis often causes bone loss, the underlying bone may be recontoured before the gum tissue is sutured back in place.
What does a periodontist do for receding gums?
Minor gum recession may be treated with a specialized deep cleaning known as root scaling and planing, which aims to reduce the size of pockets that develop in the gums. For cases of more advanced recession, dental surgery known as gum grafting can help to restore your smile and your oral health.
Is a surgical periodontal treatment?
Surgical Periodontal Therapy is the re-contouring of gum and bone to decrease the risk of further periodontal disease. Surgical procedures are designed to either remove diseased gum and bone for better cleaning access or to build missing tissue back to a healthier state.
Can periodontist do bone grafts?
Your dentist or a gum disease specialist (periodontist) may suggest a bone graft. Bone grafts can help grow new bone to replace the bone destroyed by periodontitis.
Why would you need to see a periodontist?
Gum disease and dental implant treatments are the most common reasons to see a periodontist. But you can benefit from a periodontist's skill in other areas: Tooth extraction, which many periodontists refer to as tooth removal. Bone grafting to repair bone loss after tooth removal.
What is the difference between a periodontist and an oral surgeon?
The Difference The bottom line is that a periodontist focuses on implants and gum health, while an oral and maxillofacial surgeon can perform a wide variety of surgical procedures on the mouth, jaw, and face.
Is a periodontist better than a dentist?
The primary reason why dentists refer patients to a periodontist is for their expertise. Periodontists are the most qualified dentists to treat gum disease and provide services relating to the soft tissue and bone supporting your teeth and jaw, such as dental implants.
What are some of the early warning signs of periodontal disease?
Signs and symptoms of periodontitis can include:Swollen or puffy gums.Bright red, dusky red or purplish gums.Gums that feel tender when touched.Gums that bleed easily.Pink-tinged toothbrush after brushing.Spitting out blood when brushing or flossing your teeth.Bad breath.Pus between your teeth and gums.More items...•
Why do you need to see a periodontist?
Your general dentist may be able to treat some gum problems. But if you have gum disease that’s getting worse, a complex case, or the risk of tooth loss, your dentist will refer you to a periodontist.
What to expect when visiting a periodontist?
What to Expect at the Periodontist. When you visit a periodontist, you should tell them about any symptoms you’re having. They may ask for personal information like health conditions and medications you take.
What is periodontist 2021?
Medically Reviewed by Dan Brennan, MD on June 23, 2021. A periodontist is a specialist who treats issues that affect your gums and the bones in your mouth.
How to treat gum disease?
You may need to: Brush and floss teeth twice a day or after every meal. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush. Brush lightly.
What is the procedure called to hold a tooth?
Dental implants to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Periodontal pocket reduction procedures -- also called osseous surgery -- to help limit the space around your tooth’s root where bacteria can form. While some techniques are specific to treating gum disease, others are available for cosmetic purposes as well.
What is crown lengthening?
Dental crown lengthening to fix a gummy smile or an uneven gum line. Gum grafts to reduce the appearance of long teeth from age-related recession or prior gum disease. Ridge augmentation to restore the natural curve of the gums and jaw after replacing a lost tooth with a fake, or artificial, tooth.
Do you need a periodontist for gum disease?
However, more advanced gum disease -- or periodontitis -- may require more extensive treatment. That’s when you need to see a periodontist. They’ll review your dental and medical histories. Then they’ll do a dental exam to come up with the best treatment option. This could include both surgical and nonsurgical methods:
What is a periodontist in Kentucky?
Clagett is fully trained and qualified to care for your periodontitis, no matter the severity.
Can Dr. Clagett help with dental problems?
Not only can Dr. Clagett treat oral health conditions from a medical standpoint, but he can also help Kentucky patients who are unhappy with the cosmetic appearance of their smile. If you’ve always felt your smile looks “gummy,” Dr. Clagett can perform a crown lengthening procedure to expose more of your teeth and improve the aesthetics of your smile.
What is periodontal disease?
Periodontal diseases are infections in the structures around the teeth, but not in the actual teeth themselves. These structures include the: It can progress from gingivitis, which is the first stage of periodontal disease and only affects the gums, to the other structures. Periodontal diseases are caused most often by a combination ...
Can periodontal disease cause tooth extraction?
Periodontal disease can increase your risk for conditions like stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory diseases. Untreated, it can also result in tooth extraction. It’s exceptionally important to treat it. If you start early, it can even save you from needing more invasive treatments in the long run.
Is it better to start your periodontal treatment early?
If you start early, it can even save you from needing more invasive treatments in the long run. Periodontal therapies and treatments are often exceptionally effective, and as long as you follow the instructions your dentist provides you during the maintenance stage, your risk of recurrence is low.
What is a periodontist?
A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in diagnosing and treating periodontal disease. During regular dental exams, they can help their patients to prevent gum disease from developing through the use of routine dental cleanings. A periodontist receives extra training that includes the latest techniques and technology used to effectively ...
What is the most common treatment for periodontal disease?
Some of the most common periodontal treatments that we use include: Dental cleanings: During a routine dental cleaning, we remove plaque and tartar from above and below the gumline. If we suspect a patient has gum disease, we will recommend more frequent dental cleanings.
What is the first phase of periodontal disease?
Gingivitis: The first phase of periodontal disease is caused by plaque buildup at or around the gumline. When left untreated, it can develop into the next phase. This is is the only stage that is reversible since it hasn’t attacked bones yet.
Can periodontal disease be reversed?
Undergoing regular dental exams and routine dental cleanings help to identify periodontal disease early on. Gum disease can be reversed when it is caught in the gingivitis stage.
Periodontists: Periodontal & Dental Implant Specialists
A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease (a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth also known as gum disease), and in the placement of dental implants.
What Will My First Visit Be Like?
During your first visit, the periodontist usually reviews your complete medical and dental histories. It’s extremely important for the periodontist to know if you’re taking any medications or being treated for any condition that can affect periodontal care, such as heart disease, diabetes, or pregnancy.
Why Might I Be Referred to a Periodontist?
If your general dentist refers you to a periodontist, it’s simply because the periodontist has the special skills, knowledge and experience to provide you with the type of periodontal treatment or implant procedure you need.
What is the best treatment for periodontal disease?
At this time, the infection has spread to the bone. Scaling and root planing are the best periodontal disease treatment used to deep clean the gums and remove bacteria found in pockets around the gumline.
What is periodontal disease?
10/22/2020. Periodontal disease is a gum infection caused by poor brushing and gum care. When plaque buildup is left on the teeth, gum disease results. If left untreated, it can lead to tooth loss and deterioration of the jawbone itself, which are common symptoms of periodontitis, a later stage of periodontal disease.
What happens if you leave periodontal disease untreated?
When you leave periodontal disease untreated, it will continue to worsen. At Premier Periodontics, a periodontist will work closely with a patient to make sure that their oral health remains its best. This is achieved with regular dental exams, routine dental cleanings, and an efficient oral hygiene routine from home.
Which stage of periodontal disease is more advanced?
Moderate Periodontal Disease: The third stage of periodontal disease is more advanced because the infection is deeper into the gums. Our periodontal team can use different periodontal disease treatments to thoroughly clean the gums and clear your infection. Advanced Periodontal Disease: The final stage of periodontal disease sometimes requires ...
Can you treat gingivitis at Premier Periodontics?
An efficient oral hygiene routine, and regular dental exams and routine dental cleanings help treat gingivitis best at Premier Periodontics. Slight Periodontal Disease: The second stage of periodontal disease isn’t reversible, but can be managed. At this time, the infection has spread to the bone.
What is the job of a periodontist?
That’s a job for a periodontist. Periodontists are the dental professionals who focus on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases that affect the gums, as well as other structures that support the teeth.
How long does it take to become a periodontist?
In order to qualify as a periodontist, a candidate must have successfully completed four years at an accredited dental school.
What can be done to help restore tooth roots?
To help reverse the damage, your periodontist may recommend various regenerative procedures. Bone grafts, gum grafts and tissue-stimulating growth factors can be used to repair damage to these tooth-supporting structures, and help you preserve your natural teeth.
What is the best treatment for gum disease?
Periodontists have a wide array of tools available to fight gum disease. Treatment generally starts with the least invasive and costly measures, which are non-surgical procedures. These include scaling and root planing, where special hand-held instruments are used to clean the root surfaces of the teeth.
What is the term for the removal of plaque and calculus from the gums?
The removal of dental plaque and hardened calculus (tartar) from tooth surfaces that lie under the gums is sometimes enough to resolve a patient’s gum disease—especially when followed up with a conscientious maintenance program.
What is crown lengthening?
Crown lengthening surgery can be used as part of a tooth restoration procedure, or to change the appearance of a “gummy” smile— one where there seems to be too much gum and too little tooth. In this procedure, excess gum tissue is reshaped to allow more of the natural tooth (or teeth) to show.
Does flossing help with gum disease?
Research has shown that effective brushing and flossing, along with regular professional teeth cleaning, helps prevent tooth decay and gum disease. But sometimes, even people who are very attentive to their oral hygiene can’t keep gum disease from getting started. When that occurs, it’s time to see a periodontist.
What is a periodontist?
A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in the care of the gums in order to diagnose periodontal disease, treat it, and help patients prevent it. Periodontists are concerned with the structures around the teeth, including bones and ligaments. They undergo extensive training, which includes three years of schooling after dental school, ...
How often should I have a periodontal appointment?
About every 3-4 months we recommend a periodontal maintenance appointment for any patient who has a history of periodontal surgery or scaling. This allows us to monitor your condition and prevent further problems before they occur.
How long does it take to become a periodontist?
They undergo extensive training, which includes three years of schooling after dental school, to provide patients with the best care possible. As gum health is essential to overall good oral health, many patients will require a periodontist’s services at some point. Here are three major services a periodontist offers.
