I love that my family dentist is tech-savvy. It's so easy to book a dentist on his smartphone app if I have a tooth problem or if anyone in my family needs emergency problems (I can choose either my normal dentist or another dentist in his practise depending on availability). He also has some great cameras so that we can see exactly what is going on during treatment. I prefer not to see this, but my kids love to be able to see the dentist using his specialised tools to clean and repair their teeth. This blog has some tips on finding a tech-savvy dentist to help give your family the best possible dental care.
When you say you need to visit a dentist, you might assume that all dentists are the same and offer the service you need. Although this might be true to some extent, you should know that various dentists specialise in different dental treatments. A good example is a periodontist.
A periodontist is a dentist who specialises in problems or diseases related to your gums and the hard and soft tissue surrounding or supporting your teeth, like gingivitis. This does not mean that he or she cannot offer other services. Here's what you need to know about periodontists:
What Can You Expect When You Visit a Periodontist?
Periodontists will want to find out more about your medical history and whether you are on any medication. This is because some of the treatment methods they use might be extensive and require you to be placed under general anaesthesia (you need to be unconscious). If you have diabetes, heart disease or are pregnant, your periodontist needs to know.
Expect a thorough gum and teeth examination that might even require X-rays to be taken. What does a periodontist check? He or she checks your gum line for evidence of recession, inspects your teeth to see if any are loose and asks you to bite down to inspect whether your teeth fit together correctly. The periodontist may also examine the periodontal pockets (the space between the teeth and the surrounding gums). This is the space where bacteria multiply and plaque and tartar form, leading to gum and tooth infection.
Periodontal Treatment
Treatment is based on what is discovered after an examination. A periodontist usually cleans your teeth through a process known as scaling and root planing. This is mainly done to remove plaque and tartar that may have formed in your periodontal pockets. If the periodontist discovers that the plaque and tartar is too extensive, you might need surgery.
Once plaque and tartar are removed, your gums can heal properly. You might, however, need to take oral medication that will be prescribed by your periodontist and follow his or her guided instructions for cleaning your teeth.
Periodontists can also offer dental implant treatment. This is a treatment for missing teeth where a dental implant is planted in your jawbone and an artificial crown is attached to it. The procedure is extensive, meaning that it requires surgery and for you to be placed under general anaesthesia.
Share