Contents
What exactly is a Periodontist?
A periodontics Smithfield VA is a dentist who focuses on the soft tissues of the mouth as well as the underlying jawbone that supports the teeth. To become a periodontics, a dentist must first graduate from a recognized dental school, followed by three years of study in a periodontology residency training program.
This residency program focuses on the surgical and nonsurgical therapy of periodontal disease, as well as the placement of dental implants.
What Is the Role of a Periodontics?
Periodontics is a subspecialty of dentistry. A periodontics is first a dentist who then specializes in periodontics. What exactly is periodontics?
Periodontology is the study of the structures that support teeth as well as the diseases and ailments that impact them. A periodontics is a dentist that specializes in the gums, jaw bone, and ligaments that support the teeth. Periodontal disease, also known as gum disease, is the most common problem with these supporting systems. Gum disease is a bacterial infection of the gums caused by a buildup of plaque on the teeth.
If you have severe or acute/chronic gum disease that does not respond to standard therapy, your dentist may send you to a periodontics.
What Services Does a Periodontics Provide?
Periodontics can treat gum disease and other gum diseases with a variety of treatments, including:
Root Planing and Scaling. Scaling and root planing are two distinct operations, but they are sometimes combined. The removal of plaque and calculus (hardened plaque) from the tooth surfaces beneath the gums is known as scaling. This is the most common cause of gum disease, and because it is beneath the gum line, your toothbrush will not reach it. Following scaling, root planing is carried out. After the plaque and calculus have been removed, root planingsmooths the surface of the tooth root while simultaneously removing the changed and contaminated root structure caused by the bacterial endotoxins.
Surgery on the osseous (bone).
A periodontics Smithfield VA may be required to alter the bone structure that supports your teeth in place. Your teeth are held in place by the jaw bone and ligaments. If there are holes or pockets between the gums and the teeth, bacteria can enter and create an infection. To prevent these pockets from occurring, bone surgery can be performed to realign the bone and ligaments.
Bone grafting.
A bone grafting technique is occasionally performed in preparation for a dental implant. If the jaw bone is too thin to support an implant, a bone graft can help.
When a tooth is lost or severe gum disease occurs, the jaw bone deteriorates and eventually disintegrates. A bone graft technique is surgically implanting bone graft material beneath the gums on top of existing bone. This strengthens the current jaw bone and allows it to heal and develop on its own, increasing its size. A dental implant can be placed after this process is completed and the bone has had a few months to develop.
Graft of gum.
If the gums have receded too far from the teeth, a gum transplant treatment may be required. Receding gums expose the tooth root, which can result in sensitivity and bone loss. This treatment entails taking tissue from another area of the mouth and grafting it onto the roots of teeth where gum tissue has receded. Gum tissue regenerates and adheres to the teeth.
Implantation of dental implants.
Periodontics Smithfield VA are dental implant placement professionals. While many general dentists undertake this treatment, a periodontics specializes in implant implantation.
A dental implant is a tooth and root replacement system. A titanium post is surgically implanted in the jaw bone as the implant root. It forms a tight link with the bone. A crown is added to the top of the implant after it has been fixed to the bone. The complete dental implant is designed to look and function like a natural tooth.