Photo: Jonathan Borba, Unsplash
In short, a periodontist is a dentist with additional specialized training and education in periodontics and implants. We have three to five years of formal university after dental school to obtain specialty board certification in a university setting. Periodontics is the specialization of all the surrounding structures of the tooth, meaning the bone, the gums and the jaws and how they interact with teeth and each other and your body’s health to keep you chewing and healthy. Dentistry is the first degree we get in how to fix and maintain broken, diseased teeth.
Remember, teeth can be fixed but will break down, and that’s why you need a dentist regularly. Periodontitis is the inflammation of all the supporting structures of the teeth which can be controlled but never fixed. In fact, once you have gum issues, it actually means you have breakdown of the boney structure that holds the teeth in your head and this must be constantly monitored and can never be cured. The term “gum disease” is misleading. It is gum and bones reacting to the plaque in your mouth, which can start and act up at the slightest change in life or in your mouth.
Even though some dentists offer gum-related services, they cannot simply call themselves a periodontist. Why? Periodontics is formally recognized as one of 10 specialties according to the Canadian Dental Association and American Dental Association.
The primary reason why dentists refer patients to a periodontist is for our experience and expertise.
Periodontists are the most qualified dentists to treat gum disease and provide services relating to the soft tissue and bones supporting your teeth and dental implants. Dental hygienists are responsible for the technical part of plaque removal but the periodontal hygienist reflects the same expertise as the periodontist they work for as they have the immediate expertise of the periodontist right at hand.
Since we primarily focus our practices on this specialized care, we have significantly more experience in these treatments, which can take anxiety and fear out of your dental experience. Even dentists who provide some periodontal care still refer patients to periodontists when:
1. They do not offer the treatment(s) you need
2. Your case is too severe for their level of experience
3. They are unable to keep your gum disease under control
4. They seek a trusted second opinion
Visiting a new dentist may seem daunting, but rest assured it’s for your best interest. And with the use of advanced technology in periodontics, you may be surprised to find how easy, fast and pain-free periodontal therapy can be.
Dr. Preety Desai is a laster implant periodontal specialist at Kamloops Periodontist who has called Kamloops home for 24 years. She graduated dentistry from McGill University and completed residency at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, treating medically compromised children. She was in private practice for 3 years in Toronto and in public health, treating new immigrants, the aged and disabled. She also spent many months in Northern Ontario providing dentistry on First Nations reserves. Dr Desai then moved to BC to specialize in Periodontics at UBC. Dr. Desai and her husband loved BC so much that they settled in Kamloops to raise their family and enjoy the best quality of life. She can be reached at 778.471.6001 or by visiting www.kamloopsperiodontist.com.
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