According to the CDC, approximately 47% of adults aged 30 years and older have periodontal disease. While this is a fairly preventable disease, almost half the population experiences it as they age.
What are periodontics? How can they help you? Most people don’t know the answer to these questions, which is why periodontal disease develops so easily.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know to keep your smile healthy.
Table of Contents
What Are Periodontics?
Periodontics is a branch of dentistry that deals with the structures of teeth and the diseases that affect the gums.
Gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, is inflammation in the gums caused by an infection. This can cause the gums to recede and can cause damage to the jawbone.
What Does a Periodontist Do?
A periodontist is a dentist who specifically works in periodontics. They can help prevent, diagnose, and treat periodontal disease.
A periodontist can perform many different treatment options depending on the severity of the disease.
During your six-month cleaning, your dentist will check for signs of gum disease by removing plaque and tartar from the gumline. If there are any indications of inflammation, your dentist will recommend a better oral hygiene routine and more frequent dental visits and cleanings.
If your dentist recommends a more thorough cleaning, you will need to see a periodontist for scaling and root planing treatments. These are non-surgical procedures done under local anesthesia, which provide deep cleaning above and below your gumlines.
All of the plaque and tarter will be completely removed, and if there are any rough spots on your teeth, your periodontist will scape them down with a method known as planing. This will make them smooth, preventing any bacteria from building up in tiny crevices.
If the periodontal disease is more severe, pocket reduction surgery may be required. During this surgery, your periodontist will lift your gums to remove any plaque and tarter.
They will then stretch the gums to fit more snuggly on your teeth, preventing bacteria from finding its way back in.
Lastly, a bone graft may be used if the inflammation in the gums has caused too much damage to the jawbone. This bone graft can be donated from the patient or someone else.
It is used to replace the bone that was destroyed by gum disease, which can then help to promote new growth.
Benefits of Periodontics
The most important benefit of periodontics is the ability to catch gum disease while it is still reversible. This can ensure that your oral health is always taken care of, especially as you get older.
Periodontics can also help ease discomfort from inflamed and tender gums. They can improve your smile and give you an overall healthier look.
They can also reduce your risk for developing other serious diseases, as inflammation in the gums can cause inflammation in your whole body.
Improve your overall health, and search for a dentist near me today to start your periodontics journey.
Are You Ready to Visit a Periodontist?
Now that you know the answer to “what are periodontics?”, it’s time to benefit from it. While gum disease can be scary and unpleasant, tackling it from the beginning is always best.
Whatever your situation, a periodontist can help, so look into setting up your first appointment.
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