PERIODONTICS PERIODONTICS

periodontist dentistry


Periodontal or Gum disease is an infection of the supporting tissues and bone that hold your teeth in place. The conditions affects mainly adults in their 30s and 40s, according to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NICDR), and is usually caused by:

  • Poor oral hygiene
  • Smoking
  • Chronic illness, such as DM
  • Medications
  • Genetic susceptibility

A Periodontist is a dentist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease (gum disease and other issues of the gums and bones surrounding the jaw), and oral inflammation, In addition, Periodontists are specially trained in the placement, maintenance, and repair of dental implants.

Periodontists offer a wide range of treatments, such as:

Gum surgery

If you’ve developed gum disease severe enough to require surgery, your dentist may discuss some of these types of gum surgery as ways to treat the problem:

Pocket reduction (also known as gingival flap surgery)
In this procedure, your surgeon folds back the gum and removes bacteria. The periodontist secures the gum tissue against your teeth, rather than allowing it to grow back on its own.

Regeneration
In this procedure, your periodontist folds back the gum and removes disease-causing bacteria, then inserts bone grafts, membranes, or tissue-stimulating proteins (or any combination of the three) to encourage your gum tissues to regenerate and fit snugly around the teeth again.

Crown lengthening
In this procedure, your periodontist removes an overgrowth of gum tissue from your teeth, making your teeth appear longer. This procedure is used for cosmetic effects as well as to treat gum disease.

Soft tissue graft
In this procedure, your periodontist takes sample tissue from elsewhere in your mouth and attaches it to your gums to replace gum tissue that has receded or has been removed due to gum disease. This procedure is often used for cosmetic purposes as well as to treat gum disease because it covers areas where the root is becoming exposed and improves the appearance of the teeth.

Scaling and Root Planing

Scaling and Root Planing — or Deep Cleaning — is intended to remove etiologic agents which cause inflammation to the gingival (gum) tissue and surrounding bone.

These non-surgical procedures completely cleanse the surfaces of the teeth and their roots which may be exposed due to gum recession. This removes tartar(calculus), plaque and bacteria from the gum surrounding the root, and promotes the healthy regeneration of the gum tissue.

Deep cleanings, involved a two-part process: first, the stubborn deposits are removed, and then the root surfaces are smoothened.


 

Dental Implants

Dental implants are a method of replacing missing teeth while providing a fixed solution to having removable partial or complete dentures. Implants provide excellent support and stability for these dental appliances. Dental implants are artificial roots and teeth (usually titanium) that are surgically placed into the upper or lower jaw bone by a Periodontist.

 


 

Sinus Augmentation

If bone has been lost due to injury or periodontal disease, a sinus augmentation can raise the sinus floor to allow for new bone formation. In the most common technique, a tiny incision is made near the upper premolar or molar region to expose the jawbone. A small opening is cut into the bone and the membrane lining the sinus on the other side of the opening is gently pushed upward. The underlying space is filled with bone graft material and the incision is closed.

 


 

Bone Grafting

Bone grafting is often closely associated with dental restorations. In the majority of cases, the success of a restoration procedure can hinge on the height, depth, and width of the jawbone at the implant site. When the jawbone has receded or sustained significant damage, the implant(s) cannot be supported on this unstable foundation and bone grafting is usually recommended for the ensuing restoration.

 


 

Genetic Tests

Salivary DNA testing can determine the cause of periodontal infection. The report will tell you the type and concentration of disease-causing bacteria, the bacterial information necessary to help classify high-risk versus low-risk cases.

Wisdom Teeth Extractions

Third molars (wisdom teeth) are usually the last four of 32 teeth to erupt in the mouth, generally making their appearance between the ages of 17 to 25. In most cases, inadequate space in the mouth does not allow the wisdom teeth to erupt properly and become fully functional. When this happens, the tooth can become impacted (stuck) in an undesirable or potentially harmful position.

If left untreated, impacted wisdom teeth can contribute to infection, damage to other teeth, and possibly cysts or tumors.


 

Gum Grafting

A gum graft is a collective name for surgical periodontal procedures that aim to cover an exposed tooth root surface with grafted oral tissue. Exposed roots are usually the result of gingival recession due to periodontal disease.

 


 

Cavitation & Ozone Therapy

Dentistry is changing as we are now using modern science to practice dentistry. In comparison with classical medicine modalities such as antibiotics and disinfectants, ozone therapy is quite inexpensive, predictable and conservative. The ozone therapy has been more beneficial than present conventional therapeutic modalities. This state of the art technology allows us to take a minimally invasive and conservative approach to dental treatment. The elucidation of molecular mechanisms of ozone further benefits practical application in dentistry. Treating patients with ozone therapy reduces the treatment time with a great deal of difference and it eliminates the bacterial count more precisely. The treatment is completely painless and increases the patients› acceptability and compliance with minimal adverse effects.

 


 

Laser-Assisted Periodontal Surgery

Laser therapy works by targeting only diseased gum, which it discerns by the color. The laser is then used to agitate the healthy tissue, encouraging it to reattach to the bone. Because of the regrowth of this connective tissue, there is also a much lower chance of gum disease returning than with traditional surgery. there are ample benefits to using lasers for excising diseased gum tissue:

 


Dr. Ellie Partovi
DDS. MS.