What Is a Periodontist?

You may take your mouth for granted, but it’s one of the most important parts of the body. The health of your mouth determines your ability to eat, communicate and stay healthy. When it comes to oral health, many people focus on their teeth, but the gums need just as much care. A periodontist can guide you through taking care of your gums, but what exactly do they do? Take a look at how a qualified specialist can improve the health of your mouth.

What Is a Periodontist?

You may have guessed that a periodontist does something related to your gums, but let’s dig deeper. This member of your dental team is a gum specialist, focusing on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of gum diseases. They also deal with the placement of dental implants.

To become a periodontist, doctors must complete dental school, then several more years of special training where they learn more about the structure of the jaw and the ligaments within the gum. With that training, they can help the rest of the dental team recognize problems with the gums, from mild gingivitis to severe periodontitis.

What Do Periodontists Do?

So now that you know these gum specialist doctors are trained to recognize issues in your mouth, how will they help you? To answer that, let’s look at a few of the specialties of a periodontist such as Dr. Ramy Habib at Leesburg Dental. In addition to his basic training, he has specific focuses in several areas that are important to look for in a periodontist:

• Wisdom Teeth Extractions: Many people have to get their wisdom teeth extracted, but they often don’t consider which doctors are a part of the procedure. Periodontists can perform this procedure and take care to make sure your gums heal properly.
• Soft tissue Augmentation: These surgeries are performed to correct gum recession and improve your oral health. Doctors use grafts to move healthy gum tissue from one area of the mouth to another. These procedures help cover exposed tooth roots, reduce tooth sensitivity and restore your gum line.
• Dental Implants: Periodontists are well-trained to do dental implants, which involve surgically inserting artificial tooth roots into the jawbone. These implants serve as a sturdy foundation for prosthetic teeth, such as crowns, bridges or dentures. 
• Guided Bone and Tissue Regeneration: In cases where periodontal disease has caused bone or gum tissue loss, a periodontist can use guided bone and tissue regeneration These techniques involve using membranes, bone grafts or tissue-stimulating proteins to promote the regeneration of lost bone and gum tissue.

You can see all the different ways your gums may need treatment. From a root canal to a denture fitting, having a periodontist involved is critical to getting the best outcome.

Let a Periodontist Help With Your Oral Health

When you head to your next dental checkup, don’t be afraid to see what advice a periodontist may have for you. By letting this specialist help you prevent and treat gum disease, you can maintain your overall oral health. To work with the team at Leesburg Dental, make an appointment today.