Periodontics is a field of dentistry that analyses and studies the structures of teeth and gums, as well as the conditions that affect their health.
Who is a periodontist?
A periodontist is a qualified dentist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease.
What can a periodontist treat?
A periodontist can treat mild to chronic levels (periodontal disease) of gum disease, oral inflammation, and other diseases of the gums and teeth. Concerning treatment, a periodontist conducts a wide array of services such as deep cleaning, root surface debridement, surgical procedures, placement, periodontal maintenance, and repair of old restoration, etc.
Your day with a periodontist.
During a typical examination with a periodontist, the dentist would examine the gum tissues. A detailed analysis would be conducted near the gingival margin and pockets. A periodontist would use a periodontal probe and place it in between the gums and teeth to detect the depth of the gum pockets, and also look out for the proper bite, loose restorations, and signs of bone deterioration.
Who should visit a periodontist?
Candidates who are often prone to loose gums and teeth should consider visiting a periodontist at the earliest, or even before symptoms start to show up. Any complicated cases would be referred to a periodontist for further examination and treatments like deep cleaning, etc
Treatment
When you visit us for routine dental checkups or with the early signs of gum disease, we will evaluate your gums and teeth using X-rays. If our doctor suspects that you have gum disease, we will do a deep cleaning procedure to restore your gum health. Deep cleaning process involves scaling and root planing and can effectively treat gingivitis or the early stage of gum disease.
Scaling and root planing are much like regular teeth cleaning, but the process is done more in-depth. Scaling involves scraping off the accumulated plaque and tartar from the gum line. Root planing eliminates rough spots present on the tooth root's surface, preventing the bacteria from grabbing onto the tooth. Patients are likely to experience slight discomfort during and after undergoing the deep cleaning procedure. Therefore, our dentist will deep clean your teeth and gums on one side during your first visit and allow it to heal before scheduling your next appointment to deep clean the other side. On average, it takes almost from 5 to 7 days for the gums to recover after a deep cleaning process.
While your mouth heals, you might experience slight bleeding, swelling of the gums, and increased tooth sensitivity. Avoid intake of hot, cold, or sweet foods and beverages during the healing process to minimize the discomfort.
Four weeks later, we will schedule a follow-up appointment to analyze the progress of the treatment and assess the size of the gum pockets. During the follow-up session with us, we will assess your condition to prevent the risk of infection. Besides, depending on your improvement, we will decide on the further course of treatment. Regular visits to your general dentist may help them understand if you are on the verge of progressive gum disease. In that case, we may use periodontal maintenance or deep cleaning to keep the signs at bay. If you need more help to combat the condition, we will refer you to a periodontist. If your gums have healed, we will schedule a recall after 3-4 months.
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