A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in the soft tissues of the mouth and the underlying jawbone which supports the teeth.  A dentist must first graduate from an accredited dental school before undertaking an additional three years of study within a periodontology residency training program, in order to qualify as a periodontist.

The primary focus of this residency training is on both surgical and non surgical management of periodontal disease and the placement of dental implants.

Conditions Treated by a Periodontist

The periodontist is mainly concerned with: preventing the onset of gum disease (periodontal disease); diagnosing conditions affecting the gums and jawbone; and treating gingivitis, periodontitis, and bone loss.  Periodontal disease is a progressive condition and the leading cause of tooth loss among adults in the developed world.

The periodontist is able to treat mild, moderate and advanced gum disease by first addressing the bacterial infection at the root of the problem, providing periodontal treatment, then providing information and education on good oral hygiene and the effective cleaning of the teeth.

The most common conditions treated by a periodontist are:

• Gingivitis – This is the mild inflammation of the gums which may or may not be signified by pain and bleeding.
  
  
• Mild/moderate/advanced periodontitis – When the pockets between the teeth and the soft tissues are measured to be between 4 mm or above with bleeding, you may have periodontitis with different severity.  Bone loss has occurred which you may or may not see on the dental radiographs.  The deeper the pocket, the more severe the disease is.   When you have deep pockets and radiographic bone loss, it is best that you see a periodontist.

• Missing teeth – When teeth are missing, the periodontist can implant prosthetic teeth, commonly known as dental implants.  These teeth are anchored to the jawbone to replace the missing teeth and restore functionality to the mouth.

Treatments Performed by a Periodontist

The periodontist is able to perform a wide range of treatments to halt the progression of gum disease, replace missing teeth and make the appearance of the smile more aesthetically pleasing.

Here are some of the treatments commonly performed by the periodontist:

• Implant placement – When a tooth or several teeth are missing, the periodontist is able to create a natural-looking replacement by anchoring a prosthetic tooth to the jawbone.
  
  
• Pocket Reduction surgery (soft and hard tissue recontouring) – When periodontitis becomes more severe and non-surgical treatment can not control the disease, patients may need surgical treatment.  The most common treatment is pocket reduction/osseous/flap surgery.  The treatment will remove the pocket (disease) tissues, clean the root surfaces better, create a better bone and soft tissue conditions that make daily oral hygiene more effective and maintained better.  

•  Bone grafting – Dental implants can only be positioned if there is sufficient bone to attach the prosthetic tooth to.  If bone loss has occurred, bone grafting is an excellent way to add or “grow” bone so that an implant may be properly secured.
• Deep pocket cleanings – As gingivitis and periodontitis progress, it becomes more difficult to cleanse the pockets between the soft tissues and the teeth.  The periodontist can scale and root plane the teeth (sometimes under local anesthetic) to remove debris and infection-causing bacteria.
  
  
• Crown lengthening – When patients have "gummy smile" or excessive gingival display when smiling, they can be treated with crown lengthening in order to expose more of the naturally-looking teeth.  Also, when the tooth does not have enough room for the crown to be made, the periodontist can remove some of the surrounding hard and soft gingival tissue so that the crown can be properly seated.

The periodontist is a highly skilled dental health professional who is able to diagnose and treat many commonly occurring soft tissue and bone problems in the oral cavity.

Please contact our office if you have any questions or concerns.