What Is The Difference Between A Periodontist & A Dentist?

In the simplest terms, a dentist treats the teeth, gums, and other areas of the mouth while a periodontist only treats the gums and the bone supporting the teeth. The periodontist typically sees severe, complex cases that require a specialist rather than having the patient see a general dentist.

Periodontics is the dental specialty focusing exclusively in the inflammatory disease that destroys the gums and other supporting structures around the teeth. A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal, or disease, and in the placement of dental implants. Periodontists receive extensive training in these areas, including three additional years of education beyond dental school. As specialists in periodontal disease, they are experts in the latest techniques for diagnosing and treating periodontal disease. They are also trained in cosmetic periodontal procedures.

What do periodontists do?

Periodontists treat cases ranging from mild gingivitis to more severe periodontitis. Periodontists offer a wide range of treatments, such as scaling and root planing (the cleaning of infected root surfaces), root surface debridement (the removal of damaged tissue), and regenerative procedures (the reversal of lost bone and tissue). When necessary, periodontists can also perform surgical procedures for patients with severe gum disease. Additionally, periodontists are trained in the placement, maintenance and repair of dental implants.

Other surgical treatments a periodontist can perform include:

• Laser treatments
• Regenerative procedures to encourage new bone and tissue growth
• Dental crown lengthening, removing excess gum tissue 
• Dental implants to hold a replacement tooth or bridge
• Periodontal pocket reduction procedures -- also called osseous surgery -- to help limit the space around your tooth’s root where bacteria can form

While some techniques are specific to treating gum disease, others are available for cosmetic purposes as well. Periodontists often offer plastic surgery services like:

• Dental crown lengthening to fix a gummy smile or an uneven gum line
• Gum grafts to reduce the appearance of long teeth from age-related recession or prior gum disease
• Ridge augmentation to restore the natural curve of the gums and jaw after replacing a lost tooth with a fake, or artificial, tooth

Reasons to See a Periodontist

Your general dentist may be able to treat some gum problems. But if you have gum disease that’s getting worse, a complex case, or the risk of tooth loss, your dentist will refer you to a periodontist. If you notice any of these common gum disease signs and symptoms, make an appointment with your dentist to see if you should visit a periodontist in Balwyn. 

Swollen or puffy gums

Plaque and tartar-forming bacteria can also cause inflammation, which is often the first sign of gingivitis. When it goes untreated, this inflammation can make pockets form around your teeth. This raises your risk of infection that can lead to tooth loss. 

Swollen gums often make your teeth look smaller. They may be dark red rather than a healthy light pink. In the early stages, you can treat this inflammation with a deep cleaning at your dentist and taking care of your oral hygiene at home.

What to Expect at the Periodontist

When you visit a periodontist, you should tell them about any symptoms you’re having. They may ask for personal information like health conditions and medications you take. 

The periodontist will then:

• Review your medical history to identify any factors that could be contributing to your symptoms
• Perform an oral exam to check for gum bleeding and look for plaque and tartar buildup
• Measure your gum pocket depth, or the space between your gums and teeth
• Take X-rays to check for bone loss

These tests help them create a periodontal treatment plan. Your periodontist, a dentist, or dental hygienist may all be part of your treatment. Antibiotics or a thorough cleaning can often control early stages of gum disease. More advanced cases may require surgery.

Your periodontist may also recommend lifestyle changes and at-home treatments to help keep gum disease in check and prevent further issues.

Gum disease treatments

The gum disease treatment option we choose for our patients will depend on the severity of the progression of the disease in their gums. Some of the most common periodontal treatments that we use include:

1. Dental cleanings: During a routine dental cleaning, we remove plaque and tartar from above and below the gumline. If we suspect a patient has gum disease, we will recommend more frequent dental cleanings.
2. Scaling and root planing: Scaling and root planing is a deep-cleaning and nonsurgical procedure done under local anesthesia. Plaque and tartar are scraped away from both above and below the gumline. Rough spots on the tooth root are made smooth with planing by our periodontist. Smoothing these rough spots helps to remove bacteria and provides a clean surface for the gum to reattach to the teeth.
3. Flap surgery/pocket reduction surgery: For more advanced stages of periodontal disease, surgery may be required. During this surgery, the gums are lifted and tartar is removed. Irregular surfaces of a damaged bone can also be smoothed where disease-causing bacteria may be hiding. After this is performed, the gums are then placed so that tissue fits snugly around the tooth. This will reduce the space between the gum and tooth, which reduces the chance of bacteria from spreading again.
4. Bone grafts: This uses fragments of a patient’s own bone, donated bone, or synthetic bone to replace bone that has been destroyed by gum disease. This promotes regrowth of bone, which helps to make the teeth more stable. Soft tissue grafts are also used to fill in places where gum recession may have occurred.
5. LANAP® laser gum surgery: Our periodontist may choose this gum disease treatment for patients who may not be able to endure the alternative surgery. It is less invasive, requires little to no downtime, and reduces the chance of tooth sensitivity post-op.

Seek gum disease treatment as soon as possible

Gum disease will continue to worsen when left untreated. At Tower Dental in Balwyn, we help our patients to improve their gum health and to avoid re-infection with various gum disease treatments. Call us today to schedule an appointment with a skilled periodontist.