Career as Periodontist

Dentistry is a rewarding career option that deals with the study relating to mouth, teeth, gums and other hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity. It is the occupation concerned with prevention and treatment of supporting tissues, oral disease and particular diseases of the teeth. Dentistry, in recent times, is offering great career opportunities to the professionals in the field. Dental disorder has become a common problem among people of all sections of the society.

With the development of recent science and technologies, the treatment procedures have also changed considerably. The opening of more specialized subjects like periodontics, oral pathology and orthodontics have all enhanced the scope in this field. Periodontology or periodontics is the specialty of dentistry that studies supporting structures of teeth, diseases and conditions that affect them. The supporting tissues are known as periodontium.

A professional who practices this speciality field of dentistry is known as a periodontist. Periodontist practices a full scope of periodontics with expertise ranging from dental implants to cosmetic periodontal surgery, gum grafting and crown lengthening and specializes in a wide variety of periodontal disease devoted to restoring and enhancing the natural foundation of the smile using conservative, state-of-the-art procedures that will result in beautiful, long lasting foundation of one’s smile.

Apart from the routine oral hygiene maintenance, other faculties which form the scope of periodontics are treatment of periodontitis, depigmentation of oral tissues, laser surgeries, reattachment procedures, gingivoplasty, implant surgeries, etc. Gum disease is the most common disease that afflicts mankind. It may be 20 years before a patient realizes they have it and by then it may be too late, as teeth may become loose and cannot be saved. Many people don’t realize that the issues that they are having with their teeth really are gum conditions, not teeth problems.

In the early stages of the disease a dentist or hygienist can treat it; but as it progressively worsens a specialist is required to treat the gum disease. The periodontal team includes the periodontist, dental assistants and dental hygienists. The periodontist screens the patient, performs the surgical care, and provides continual care according to the patient’s needs. The dental assistant performs chair side assisting duties while the dental hygienist performs traditional hygiene procedures.

The goals of periodontal therapy are to preserve the natural dentition, periodontium and peri-implant tissues; to maintain and improve periodontal and peri-implant health, comfort, esthetics and function. A periodontist is a dentist with a specialty. The specialty is the area supporting the teeth and its structures. He diagnoses and treats diseases by checking on the state of the patient’s mouth, gums and teeth. He is fully certified and qualified to prescribe antimicrobial medication and drugs to treat an infection or anything else that may need a prescription.

Periodontists are able to perform specific surgeries that can improve problems that affect the gums that cannot be helped through nonsurgical means. Some of the periodontal surgeries conducted by these dental providers have a cosmetic element to them and can enhance and beautify the smiles of the people who have the work done. Dental implants are also part of the surgical options that this oral health care provider may offer. These are not the limit[pic], though and he or she may also offer other services that involve his field of expertise.