If you have been referred to a periodontist, you may be wondering what it is that they do. Periodontists are specialists in the health of your gums, jaw bone and in periodontal disease. After they attend regular dental school training, they elect to study for another three years to become specialists in periodontics. While many people visit a periodontist for gum disease treatment, they correct much more than bleeding gums.

What Can a Periodontist Do for Me?

As a dental professional who specializes in the health of periodontal tissue and bone, your periodontist in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, has the ability to restore the health of your smile in the following ways:

• Periodontal disease treatment can save your smile from the effects of gingivitis, like bleeding gums and the bacteria that infect your gum tissue and destroy your oral health. While all periodontists offer gum surgery, some offer laser gum surgery. Drs. Thomas and Mark McCawley offer this gentle laser alternative to enhance patient comfort and convenience.
• Routine periodontal maintenance is essential for those affected with advanced periodontitis. Regular visits promote a healthier oral environment and prevent reoccurrence.
• Preventing systemic illness caused by gum disease is another area of periodontics. Gum disease has been linked to diabetes, heart disease, stroke, stomach ulcers, respiratory illness, and certain types of cancer. By keeping up with your oral health, you can prevent disease and bacteria from spreading and infecting other parts of your body.
• Gum grafts are performed to correct receding gums. Drs. McCawley, our periodontists in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, offers Pinhole® Surgical Technique (PST™) to restore healthy gum lines in a single visit, without scalpels or sutures.
• Gingivectomy procedures focus on removing diseased, excessive gum tissue to treat advanced gum disease. This helps reduce periodontal pockets where disease and bacteria thrive and remove diseased tissue.
• Bone grafts and sinus lifts can be necessary after long-term tooth loss or periodontal disease for those looking to replace lost teeth with dental implants. Grafting allows us to enhance your bone volume to acceptable levels for implants.
• Dental implant placement is a periodontal specialty that restores your smile beautifully, but must be performed with the utmost precision and planning for success. Dental implants are considered the gold standard of tooth replacement, and a trusted periodontist can ensure they last for years to come.

Visit our periodontal office and sit down with Drs. Thomas and Mark McCawley to discover how periodontics fits into your treatment plan. Call our office to schedule your consultation today.