What Exactly Does a Periodontist Do?

What Exactly Does a Periodontist Do?

May 01, 2022

A periodontist is a specialist who treats issues that affect your mouth’s bones and gums. A periodontist has secial skills in preventing, diagnosing, and treating gum disease. They also help you manage any signs of gum problems such as inflammation.

Gum diseases occur when the tissue gets infected, causing inflammation. For example, a plague-forming bacteria that build up on your teeth usually cause swelling, which may spread to the gum line. This can be treated by your periodontist in Pearland.

An early form of gum disease is called gingivitis, and this condition can be controlled by treatment or keeping your teeth and mouth clean and visiting your dentist for regular check-ups. However, more advanced gum disease or periodontitis may require more extensive treatment.

Periodontists will review your dental and medical histories. They will then perform dental exams to help them develop the best treatment option.

What Procedures are Done in Periodontics?

The procedures done in a periodontal office include:

  • Nonsurgical Treatments

The types of nonsurgical treatments done in periodontics include scaling and root planing. These are done to remove plaque and tartar deep in your gumline. These procedures can be paired with antibiotic or antimicrobial medicines, depending on the nature of your problem.

Your periodontist can also prescribe a tray delivery system to use a home. But, again, this is a custom fit impression of your teeth that puts prescription medication right on them.

  • Surgical treatments

Periodontitis and gingivitis can make your gums to pull back or recede, exposing your tooth’s root. Your dentist can perform gum grafting, where they will take tissue from the roof of your mouth and use it to cover the areas affected by the receding gum. A healthy gum line helps stop tooth decay, thus reducing pain sensitivity and improving your smile.

Other surgical treatments perform at the periodontics include laser treatments, dental crown lengthening to remove excess gum tissue, regenerative procedures which encourage new tissue and bone growth, periodontal pocket reduction procedures to limit space around the gums or teeth where bacteria forms, and dental implants procedure.

While some of these techniques are specific to treating gum disease, others are also available for cosmetic reasons. Periodontitis can offer cosmetic procedures such as:

  • Gum grafting reduces how long teeth appear due to an age-related recession or prior gum disease.
  • Dental crown lengthening is done to fix an uneven gum line or a gummy smile.
  • Ridge augmentation to restore the jaws and gums’ natural curve after replacing a lost tooth with an artificial one.

Why Would You See a Periodontist?

Your Pearland dentists may be able to treat some gum issues, but if you have a gum disease that’s so severe or a complex case that may lead to tooth loss, they may have to refer you to a periodontist. So if you notice any of the below gum disease symptoms, make an appointment with your dentist or periodontist.

  1. Puffy or swollen gums

Tartar and plague-forming bacteria can also cause inflammation, which is often the first sign of gingivitis. If the inflammation is left untreated, it can make pockets around your teeth which raises the risk of an infection which may thus lead to tooth loss.

Inflamed gums make your teeth look smaller. They may at times be dark red rather than a healthy light pink. The inflammation  in its early stages can be treated with a deep cleaning by your dentist in Pearland TX and practicing good oral hygiene at home

  1. Bleeding gums

Inflammation can also make your gums bleed easily when you brush, floss, or eat. Visit your dentist if your gums feel tender when touched, if your toothbrush is tinted pink after brushing or if you spit out blood when you floss or brush.

  1. Painful Chewing

Over time, the inflammation, if not treated, can form pockets around your teeth, making them loose and more sensitive. As a result, you might also experience some trouble while chewing. If you notice any new spaces forming between your teeth, make an appointment with your dentist Harmony Dental – Pearland.

  1. Bad Breath

Bad breath is a common problem, and it’s not always a cause for concern. But if you practice good oral hygiene and the bad breath persists, it could be a sign of an infection.