When planning your visit to the dentist, you need to understand the kind of treatment you can expect. If your dental issue requires a specialist, you can visit the right professional. Getting the proper treatment for your oral condition is vital for your overall health.
If you have a gum issue, go to a periodontist rather than a general dentist. Here is how a periodontist is different from a dentist.
Periodontist vs. General Dentist
Both dentists and periodontists attend dental school after their undergraduate degrees. However, a periodontist must also complete additional post-doctoral training. A general dentist treats the teeth, gums, and other oral tissues. A periodontist specializes in treating the gums and the bone tissue supporting the teeth. While a general dentist can treat simple gum issues, complex or severe gum problems require a periodontist. All periodontists are dentists, but all dentists are not periodontists.
The Areas of Specialty
A dentist diagnoses and treats problems related to oral health. Dentists provide instructions and advice on taking proper care of the teeth and gums. The dentist also offers information on diet and other lifestyle choices that affect oral health.
A periodontist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal issues. The periodontist also offers prevention treatment, treatment of oral inflammation, and dental implant placement. Dentists will often refer severe or complex cases to a periodontist. Periodontics is a specialized area of overall dentistry.
Treating Severe Gum Disease
Gum disease can have severe negative effects on the body. If not treated, periodontal disease can lead to loss of teeth and other serious health issues. If you experience gum bleeding, loose teeth, gum recession, or bad breath, you need to visit a periodontist.
Gum disease has a connection to conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, osteopenia, and gangrene. A periodontist will examine the teeth, gums, and jawbone.
What the Practitioners Do
Dentists clean teeth, remove diseased teeth, and manage routine dental checkups. They also provide oral health information to their patients.
Periodontists can perform:
Non-surgical procedures
Root planing and scaling
Laser periodontal therapy
Oral surgery
Periodontal plastic surgery
A periodontist can use advanced surgical techniques. These include dental implant placement and regenerative surgery.
Why You Need a Periodontist
The main reason your dentist will refer you to a periodontist is to benefit from their expertise. Periodontists have the qualifications needed to treat gum disease. They also offer services related to soft tissue and jawbone health.
Periodontists specialize in their area, which means that they have more experience regarding treatments. Some dentists can perform select procedures, but they still refer patients to periodontists. Their level of experience allows them to deal with severe cases.
If you have symptoms of periodontal disease, it is vital to get immediate treatment. The link between gum disease and severe health issues makes it imperative to get the proper treatment.
For more on what periodontists and dentists do, contact Marine Park Periodontics and Implantology at our office in Brooklyn, New York. You can call (646) 863-4810 today to schedule an appointment.
