Why Should I See a Periodontist for Gum Care?

Regular gum care helps prevent, detect, and treat periodontal (gum) disease, a leading cause of tooth and bone loss in adults. Choosing the right dental professional for your periodontal health can give you optimal, personalized treatment for maintaining or restoring your oral health. Periodontists are the gum health specialists you need to keep your gums healthy.

What Is a Periodontist?

A periodontist is a dental specialist with three years of post-graduate training in preventing, diagnosing, and treating periodontal disease, the infection of the soft tissues and bone that support teeth. Although dental schools provide periodontal training to general dentists, the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards recognizes periodontics as a specialty dedicated to gum care.

How Does a Periodontist’s Treatment Compare with a Dentist’s?

When you choose a periodontist for gum care, you will benefit from their advanced treatment options, care coordination, and specialized dental implant training. Also, an annual comprehensive periodontal evaluation from a periodontist will help you maintain your gum health. 

Advanced Treatment Options

Periodontists provide advanced treatment options for gum disease that are unavailable from most general dentists. The American Academy of Periodontology confirms that professional treatment and at-home care can reverse gingivitis (early-stage gum disease). A specialist’s advanced testing methods promote early detection. Specialized equipment and techniques allow periodontists to stop gum disease progression and restore or replace gum and bone damage.

A periodontist’s surgical experience includes the following:

• Gum grafts
• Bone grafts
• Dental implant placement
• Soft tissue procedures

Coordinating Your Care

Healthy gums increase the effectiveness of treatment from other dental professionals. A periodontist can coordinate your care with your general dentist and other dental specialists, such as an orthodontist or oral surgeon. Your dental team will collaborate in the following ways:

• Develop a personalized treatment plan to address the causes of your dental concerns
• Schedule treatment in phases for the best outcomes
• Refer you to other dental specialists as needed

Advanced Dental Implant Training

Advanced gum disease can lead to tooth loss. A periodontist’s advanced training and experience in tooth replacement with dental implants will give you comprehensive care with these steps:

• Evaluate your gum, soft tissue, and bone health to see if you qualify for dental implants
• Develop a treatment plan to restore your oral health before getting dental implants
• Place dental implants in optimal positions to support dental crowns or a denture

Perform an Annual Comprehensive Evaluation

An annual comprehensive periodontal evaluation is preventive care from a periodontist. The review will help a periodontist determine if your oral hygiene routine is effective and identify any risk factors. Your periodontist will examine the following to evaluate your oral health:

• Bite
• Bone structure
• Gums
• Plaque
• Teeth

Visit a Periodontist for Quality Care

Periodontists provide comprehensive gum care and specialize in dental implant placement. If you receive treatment from other dental professionals, a periodontist can coordinate your care to promote successful outcomes. Our doctors at Periodontal and Implant Surgeons of Houston are gum care specialists who can help you achieve and maintain healthy gums. Learn more about periodontal disease and treatment on our website.