Dentist

Periodontist & Implantologist

A periodontist is a dentist who specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease (a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the gums and bone supporting the teeth also known as gum disease), and in the placement of dental implants. Periodontists receive extensive training in both of these areas and more, including three additional years of education beyond dental school.

While some general dentists treat less serious periodontal cases, many will refer their patients to periodontists for the more challenging periodontal cases. Similarly, while some general dentists perform dental implant procedures, many will refer their patients to periodontists for the more challenging implant cases as well.

In addition to handling challenging periodontal and implant cases, periodontists also provide a variety of other specialized services. These include scaling and root planning (in which the infected surface of a tooth’s root is cleaned), root surface debridement (in which damaged root tissue is removed), oral inflammation treatment, and cosmetic periodontal procedures.