Problems with gums or teeth that a general dentist is not able to treat are mostly referred to a periodontist. Periodontists are specialist dental surgeons who specialize in diagnosing, preventing and treating diseases related to the gums and teeth. These professionals are also experts in the placement of dental implants.
Periodontists offer a vast range of dental solutions and treatments including scaling, rectification of severe gum-related problems, root surface debridement where damaged tissues are removed, and root planning where the infected surface of a root is cleaned.
Periodontal procedures include studying a patient’s medical history to make sure that there aren’t any pre-existing medical conditions like pregnancy, diabetes, and heart disease, which might affect or have a bearing on a patient’s gums and teeth.
After that, the periodontist will assess how the patient’s teeth fit together when they bite, examine the patient’s gums to see if the gum line is recessing and check to see if there are any loose teeth. Periodontists will often also test for periodontal pockets by inserting probes between the patient’s gums” this helps them assess the health of the patient’s gums. Most professionals also X-ray their patient’s gums to see the health of the bones below their gum line. Gathering all of this information makes it easier for the periodontist to get an idea of what to do next.
While general dentists can clean teeth by removing tartar and accumulate plaque, periodontists perform a deeper and more thorough cleaning of the gums. Moreover, regular planing and scaling are advised since doing so leaves the surface smooth and cleaner, making it easy for gums to reattach to teeth – and this is something that can only be performed by a periodontist.
If there are any indications of severe gum disease like gingivitis, periodontal pockets, and periodontitis flap, your periodontist may recommend a surgical procedure to rectify such issues. During surgery, he or she will lift back the gums before removing the tartar that’s probably accumulated under the gum’s lining. Once all the tarter has been removed, he or she places the gum precisely so that the tissue snugly fits around the affected teeth. Doing so also decreases the space left between the tooth and the gum. At the same time, all periodontal pockets that tend to hoard harmful bacteria” a major contributor to bad breath” are cleared out.
A considerable number of senior patients could exhibit destruction of bone caused by gum disease. The great thing is that periodontists are able to regenerate the tissues that stimulate gum tissue and bone growth. To accomplish this, a periodontist may place a mesh-like fabric in-between the bone and gum. This allows the connective tissue and bone to grow back without having to compete for space.
Specialists in Preventative Dentistry are especially effective when it comes to treating patients who’ve suffered accident-related injuries. For instance, periodontists can perform bone grafts, soft tissue grafts that reinforce/strengthen thin gums or even add a synthetic bone to fortify bone and tissue that was damaged in an accident.
Vikas Mittle of Island Dental Associates, located in Franklin Square, NY, is one of Long Island’s leading periodontists. Call now for all your dental and oral care needs.
