So have you been around looking for a pro periodontist? Or maybe you have been told to have a periodontist take a look at your oral situation for something like gingivitis or some other gum disease. The big question here is, “who is a periodontist?”

That’s what we are going to find out in this blog so let’s get started.

What is periodontics?

To know who is a periodontist, it is important to first talk about what periodontics is. To put that obvious out of the way, periodontics is a branch of dentistry with its main focus revolving around gum health.

Similar to a lot of other medical terminology, it comes from a Greek source with “peri” meaning around and “odont” meaning tooth. So as the name suggests, it is the field that treats the conditions that are affecting the surrounding tissues of your teeth. These issues include bone loss, gum recession and periodontitis.

What’s the difference between a dentist and a periodontist?

Generally speaking, your everyday dentist, who might be your family dentist too, is the tooth doctor that focuses on your overall dental health, taking care of your cavities and maybe suggesting some implant treatments. This is the doctor who also takes care of your routine cleaning and carries out your dental restorations such as dental crowns and dental bridges. This type of general dentist must graduate from a four-year dental school before acquiring a license to practice.

Now to who is a periodontist! As mentioned earlier, a periodontist is a gum specialist. Their main focus is on treating conditions that appear or affect the tissues supporting your teeth. These are most often cases with the jaw and the gums. A periodontist must spend and extra 3 years in specialty training after being graduated from dental school to earn their periodontics license in the U.S. 

Why visit a periodontist?

There are several reasons why someone might need to visit a periodontist. For some, it’s just a temporary situation. In other words, they may require a treatment that goes beyond what a general dentist typically handles. For instance, if you need a gum graft, bone graft, or a frenectomy, a periodontist is the one to perform that surgery. Once you’ve recovered, you’ll likely be referred back to your general dentist for ongoing care.

On the other hand, some people might need to see a periodontist on a more long-term basis. This usually includes those who are more prone to gum disease. If you have a genetic predisposition to gum issues, you’ll likely need periodontal cleanings in addition to your regular dental cleanings. In these cases, your periodontist will collaborate closely with your general dentist, and together they’ll ensure you maintain the best possible oral health.

What kind of procedures does a periodontist perform?

A periodontist handles a variety of periodontal treatments, including periodontal maintenance, scaling and root planing, and several types of surgeries.

Periodontal maintenance

Periodontal maintenance is a type of cleaning, similar to the regular cleanings you get at your dentist’s office. But in addition to cleaning your teeth, your periodontist or hygienist checks the health of your gums and measures the pockets around your teeth. (When bone is lost around your teeth, these pockets get deeper.) Many people who need periodontal maintenance should have these cleanings every three to four months. Your periodontist can suggest the best schedule for you.

Scaling and root planing (deep cleaning)

Scaling and root planing (SRP) is essentially a deep cleaning, but it requires local anesthesia to numb your gums. This allows your hygienist to clean deeply under the gum line, where harmful bacteria tend to hide. They’ll also smooth your teeth’s root surfaces to prevent plaque and bacteria from building up again. SRP is often recommended for people with mild gum disease.

Periodontal surgery

Periodontists regularly perform surgeries on the gums. These are some of the most common procedures:

Gingival flap surgery (pocket reduction surgery)

This is used to treat moderate to severe gum disease. The periodontist makes small incisions and lifts the gums away from the teeth to clean out the infection deep under the gum line. Once the area is thoroughly cleaned, the gum tissue is repositioned and stitched back in place.

Gum grafts

If you have gum recession, meaning you don’t have enough healthy gum tissue around your teeth, a periodontist can perform a gum graft. Tissue is added to areas where the gums are thin, either from the roof of your mouth or from a tissue bank.

Tooth extractions

Periodontists often handle extractions, especially for teeth that are difficult to remove or broken at the gum 

Bone grafts

When periodontal disease erodes the bone supporting your teeth, a bone graft can help regenerate bone in that area. The grafting material might come from a tissue bank or from another part of your own mouth.

Surgical crown lengthening

If a tooth is broken near the gum line and there’s not enough space to place a crown, the periodontist can remove a small amount of gum and bone tissue to create enough room for the crown.

Smile lift

Some people have excess gum tissue covering part of their teeth when they smile. A smile lift removes this extra tissue, and often a bit of bone, to improve the look of your smile. This can be done on its own or combined with veneers.

Frenectomy

A frenum is a band of tissue that connects different parts of the mouth. Sometimes it’s too tight, causing issues like tongue-tie or gum recession. A frenectomy loosens the frenum by making an incision, which can help resolve these problems.

In addition to these procedures, many periodontists also place dental implants, though this isn’t exclusive to periodontics—oral surgeons and some general dentists do it too.

To keep you comfortable during procedures, most periodontists offer sedation options like nitrous oxide, oral sedation, or IV sedation.

Final Words

Now that we have fully covered the answer for the question who is a periodontist, it is time to let you know that in Aria Dental we are obliged to have Dr. Mayram Horiyat with us, who is a well known periodontist in Mission Viejo. To book your consultation sessions, click here or on the picture below.