October 30, 2018

There are a lot of patients who need a little help understanding when it’s best to see a dentist and when they would benefit more from a periodontist. It can be confusing, especially if you haven’t had a lot of experience with gum disease, because like many specialties in the health care field, periodontists are relatively invisible to most people who aren’t their patients. The most important thing to understand about these unique dental professionals is that they receive years of extra training and study to help them better understand and treat infections and diseases of the gums.

When Should I Make an Appointment with One? 

If you’re wondering what kinds of symptoms are best treated by a periodontist, the answer is the same as early symptoms of gingivitis and other gum diseases. For example:

  • Bleeding gums
  • Persistent bad breath
  • Gums pulling away from teeth
  • Discharge from gums
  • Redness/tenderness in the gums

If you make the move to a periodontal specialist as soon as you notice symptoms, you increase the odds that you will be able to stop the progress of an infection in its tracks before there’s a lot of damage to undo.

What Procedures Do Periodontists Offer? 

If you have a history of gum disease, the periodontist is the most trained and specialized person to offer a few of the more successful and popular treatments out there.

  • LANAP laser surgery
  • Scaling and root planning
  • Bone grafting
  • Periodontal cleanings and inspections

They are also trained to place implants, including All-on-4 full arch implants, to help patients who have lost teeth to gum disease.

Make an Appointment

If you need treatment for gum disease or you’re monitoring your progress to make sure you stay in recovery, you should be working with a periodontist. Contact our office today to make an appointment with Dr. Strout in St. Augustine, FL and get the help you need to successfully recover from gum disease.

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