Periodontists are dentists who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment (non-surgical and surgical) of periodontal diseases and the placement of tooth implants. They also perform cosmetic oral plastic surgical procedures.

It is especially important to see a periodontist if you experience any of the symptoms of periodontal disease, but regular periodontal examinations should be part of everyone's routine oral health care regimen. An evaluation sometimes may be the only way to detect periodontal disease. You should also visit the periodontist regularly if you have diabetes, heart or respiratory disease, osteoporosis, malnutrition, or smoke or use tobacco; all dental lab supplies have been linked to periodontal disease.

Periodontists: Education and Certification

Periodontists must complete a four-year undergraduate college degree, then graduate from an accredited dental school with a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medical Dentistry (DMD) degree. In addition, a periodontist must complete three to seven years of formal training in an American Dental Association (ADA)-accredited periodontology residency program.

After successful completion of an ADA-accredited residency training program in periodontics, periodontists may earn national board certification by the American Board of Periodontology (ABP) by passing comprehensive written and oral examinations covering all phases of periodontal disease and its treatment, as well as presenting detailed reports on a range of treatments personally provided by the periodontist.

Periodontists must be recertified every six years. Recertification requires fulfillment of continuing education requirements and other professional activities that demonstrate current knowledge and competence in periodontics. Board-certified periodontists are diplomates of the ABP.

Periodontists can work in dental schools, hospitals, the business sector, and state, national and international agencies. They also can focus on research opportunities, such as testing emerging therapies and studying the interrelationships between periodontal and systemic diseases.

Types of Periodontal Procedures

A periodontist is skilled in performing the following:

Non-surgical Periodontal Treatment. In the early stages of gum disease, most treatments include deep cleanings, scaling and root planing (a professional cleaning of the root surfaces to remove plaque and calculus/tartar from periodontal pockets, and to smooth the tooth root to remove bacterial toxins), followed by adjunctive therapy, such as antibiotics and antimicrobials. In most cases of gingivitis, scaling and root planing - and proper daily brushing and flossing - will produce a healthy result.

Dental Implant Placement. During a dental implant procedure, an artificial tooth root is placed into your jaw, where it binds with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration. After a healing period, an artificial tooth is attached to the implant post.

Periodontal Surgery Procedures, such as:

•Regeneration, in which your periodontist folds back gum tissue to remove bacteria. Membranes (filters), bone grafts or tissue-stimulating proteins are used to encourage your body's natural ability to regenerate bone and tissue.

•Pocket reduction, in which your periodontist folds back gum tissue to remove disease-causing bacteria before securing the tissue into place. In certain cases, irregular surfaces of damaged bone are smoothed to minimize areas where bacteria can hide, allowing gum tissue to better reattach to healthy bone.

•Gingivectomy, in which excess tissue is removed under local anesthesia. The gums usually heal within eight days, and teeth contours are restored.

Periodontal Plastic Surgery, such as:

•Gingival Sculpting (Crown lengthening), in which excess gum and bone tissue is reshaped to expose more of the natural tooth. This can be performed on one tooth to even your gum line, or several teeth to expose a broader smile.

•Soft tissue grafting, in which your periodontist takes gum tissue from your palate (or another source) to cover an exposed root. This can be performed on one tooth or several teeth to even your gum line and reduce sensitivity.

•Ridge augmentation, used to correct gum and jawbone indentations, recaptures the natural contour of your gums and jaws, making an artificial tooth appear to be growing naturally out of the gum tissue.