What is a periodontics?
Periodontists are concerned with the health of the gums and the bone that supports the teeth. As a result, they are the finest dentists to consult with whether you have gum disease or wish to receive a dental implant. Periodontists study advanced procedures in these and allied disciplines for an additional three years after graduating from dentistry school.
While some family dentists may treat moderate forms of gum disease, most will refer more significant cases to periodontists. Similarly, although some family dentists may assist with dental implants, most would prefer to refer their patients to a specialist for more severe instances.
Periodontists are dental specialists who specialize in more than just gum and implant treatment. They also provide a variety of specialist therapies for those who need them. Cosmetic periodontal operations such as root surface debridement, which eliminates damaged root tissue, and scaling and root planing, which cleans the unhealthy surface of a tooth’s root, are examples of these.
What do periodontics do?
A periodontist is the person to see about your gums and teeth (the tissues around your teeth). Every part of your
- The name for your gums is gingiva.
- The periodontal ligament is a network of connective tissue fibers that hold your teeth in place on your jaw.
- Cementum is the hardened tissue that wraps around the roots of your teeth to protect them.
- Alveolar bone is what makes up the holes, or alveoli, in your jawbone where your teeth go.
When to consult a periodontics?
Your periodontal disease is quite common. In fact, more than half of all American adults over the age of 30 have periodontal disease. People who need only minor care for their gums may be able to get it from a general dentist. Due to the large amount of research that links periodontal disease to stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and other long-term diseases, more complicated periodontal treatments may need to be done by a trained periodontist.
Here are some of the more complicated periodontal problems that your regular dentist may send you to a periodontist for:
- You have periodontal disease, which can be mild or very bad.
- Gum disease, such as bleeding, swelling, or shrinking of the gums
- Loss of teeth
- Changing your bite, which is how your top and bottom teeth touch each other (the relationship between your upper and lower teeth)
- Gum pain or discomfort can come from inside the mouth or from the area right under the gums.
- You have a family history of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung disease, osteoporosis, or cancer, or you have had one of these conditions yourself.
- You should know that since you smoke, you are putting yourself at risk of getting a serious illness.
What are the risks of a periodontics?
In fact, the opposite is true! To put your mind at ease, your regular dentist will recommend that you see a specialist with at least three years of additional education and training in periodontal dentistry and dental implants.
This specialty requires a total of eight years of education: four years of college, four years of dental school, and four years of combined study. Furthermore, your periodontist has most likely performed hundreds, if not thousands, of procedures similar to the one that will be performed on you.
Conclusion
If you suspect you have periodontal disease, there are many treatment options available depending on the severity of your condition. Consult a dentist soon away for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
This will assist you in getting your mouth in shape as quickly as possible. If not, follow the strategies above to lower the periodontitis risk factors you can control while combating the ones you can’t. You can keep your teeth white for the rest of your life if you see the dentist on a regular basis and take good care of them at home.