As
part of the full set of dental services that Esthetique
Dentistry provides, we have Periodontal surgeons as part of our
team who perform specialty dental procedures in our offices.
Our patients benefit from having the convenience of these
services offered in a familiar, comfortable environment, and
they also benefit from the significant knowledge our specialists
bring to consultations and treatment planning.
What is a Periodonist?
A periodontist is a dentist who has completed a university
post-graduate specialty program in periodontics.
Periodontal specialty programs are an additional two to three
years in duration following graduation from the four year dental
school program.
Periodontics is a specialty of dentistry that deals with the
maintenance of health and the diagnosis and treatment of gum
disease, as well as the placement of dental implants.
What are the periodontal procedures offered at Esthetique
Dentistry?
Scaling and Root Planing
The objective of scaling and root planing, otherwise known as
conventional periodontal therapy or non-surgical periodontal
therapy, is to remove or eliminate the etiologic agents which
cause inflammation: dental plaque, its products and
calculus,thus helping to establish a periodontium that is free
of disease.
Periodontal scaling procedures "include the removal of
plaque, calculus and stain from the crown and root surfaces of
teeth, whereas root planing is a specific treatment that removes
the roughened cementum and surface dentin that is impregnated
with calculus, microorganisms and their toxins."
Scaling and root planing are often referred to as deep
cleaning, and may be performed using a number of dental tools,
including ultrasonic instruments and hand instruments, such as
periodontal scalers and curettes.
The goals of scaling and root planning are to resolve the
signs of inflammation, and to reduce pocket depths and
detectable plaque to a level associated with periodontal health.
Ideally we can halt the progression of the periodontal disease.
Periodontal Maintenance:
Periodontal maintenance is the procedures and protocols
employed to clean and maintain the teeth and gums following a
diagnosis and stabilization treatment of periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease in not 'cured', only 'arrested'.
The procedures may appear to the patient to be very similar to a
regular cleaning, but because the dentist or hygienist must now
evaluate, instrument, and monitor the tissues differently and
quite often more frequently, the procedures must be
differentiated.
Gum Grafting:
A gingival graft (also called gum graft or gingival plastic
surgery) is a generic name for any of a number of surgical
periodontal procedures whose combined aim is to cover an area of
exposed tooth root surface with grafted oral tissue. The
covering of exposed root surfaces accomplishes a number of
objectives: the prevention of further root exposure, decreased
or eliminated sensitivity, decreased susceptibility to root
caries and improved cosmetics. These procedures are usually
performed by a an oral surgeon or a a periodontist, but may be
performed by a general dentist having training in these
procedures.
