What Services Does a Periodontist Do?
Periodontists specialize in treating the gums. In addition to dental school, they normally undergo an additional three years of residential training to learn more about gum disease and how to keep the gums healthy. They perform a variety of surgical and nonsurgical procedures to treat problems with the gums and keep them healthy.
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Periodontal Surgery
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Periodontists are trained to perform certain surgeries that address gum problems that cannot be addressed by nonsurgical treatments. Some treatments are also cosmetic in nature and help the patient achieve a more attractive smile. These procedures include:
Pocket reduction procedures: Gum disease causes pockets of tissue to form around the teeth. The bigger these pockets, the more space available for bacteria to thrive. These bacteria can destroy gum tissue and bone, leading to tooth loss. Pocket reduction procedures can reduce the size of these pockets, which help preserve the tissue and bone.
Regenerative procedures: These surgical procedures help regenerate bone and tissue destroyed by bacteria. First, bacteria are removed and after, bone grafts or tissue-stimulating proteins are used to help regenerate these structures.
Crown lengthening is a periodontal procedure that lengthens the tooth by removing excess bone and gum tissue. This can be a purely cosmetic procedure to reduce the appearance of a "gummy" smile. It is also performed to prepare the mouth for other cosmetic or restorative procedures.
Soft tissue grafts: When the gums recede, the roots of the tooth become exposed. This can cause sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks. For some, it is an appearance issue and the procedure is purely cosmetic. Soft tissue grafts can cover exposed roots and help regenerate new tissue.
Non-Surgical Procedures
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Non-invasive treatments are the first choice for treating problems with the gum. The most common procedures are scaling and root planing. Scaling involves carefully cleaning the root surfaces to get rid of plaque and calculus (tartar) that form in the pockets of tissue that separate the tooth from the bone. Root planing removes bacterial toxins by smoothing the root of the tooth. Additionally, the periodontist may apply antimicrobials to the gums to kill any additional bacteria. For many people, this treatment is sufficient but needs to be maintained on a regular basis.
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Dental Implants
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Periodontists provide dental implants, a permanent tooth replacement choice. Dental implants are placed in the jaw to hold replacement teeth securely. They have a very natural look and feel and can replace the need for removable dentures. Depending on how many teeth need to be replaced, the periodontist will design a treatment plan to address your specific needs.
Laser Treatments
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Some periodontists employ laser treatments to enhance the effectiveness of nonsurgical procedures. Use of lasers can reduce swelling, bleeding and general discomfort. When used properly, these lasers are safe but can cause harm if the wrong wavelength or power level is used for a particular procedure.
Cosmetic Procedures
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Periodontists also perform surgeries that are for cosmetic purposes and are not related to gum disease. These include:
Crown lengthening: This periodontal procedure lengthens the tooth by removing excess bone and gum tissue. This can be a purely cosmetic procedure to reduce the appearance of a "gummy" smile. It is also performed to prepare the mouth for other cosmetic procedures if there is not enough tooth due to decay or other reasons.
Soft tissue grafts: When the gums recede, the roots of the tooth become exposed. Soft tissue grafts cover the exposed roots and improve the appearance of the smile.
Ridge augmentation: When someone loses a tooth, an indentation appears where the tooth used to be. Since the jawbone is no longer supporting a tooth, it recedes. This makes the replacement tooth look longer. Ridge augmentation can fill this gap and restore a natural looking gumline and smile.
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