Skilled Periodontists are specialist dentists who undergo an additional three years of advanced education. They learn more about the supporting tissues of the teeth such as the gum tissues as well as the bone structure underneath the teeth. They're well-versed in treating gum diseases, and they're also able to perform bone grafting procedures for the bone structure underneath your teeth.
When you lose a single tooth—especially a front tooth—the quality of your smile changes and not for the better. What's more, the adjacent teeth can drift into the vacant space, and you're more likely to end up with more uneven teeth. That's why you need to have it replaced.
Usually, a dentist may just install a dental bridge to replace the missing tooth. But this isn't an optimal solution. The adjacent teeth will have to be shaved down to support the tooth replacement. You can't use it to bite down and chew, so it leads to uneven chewing pressure that can lead to a malfunction. There's also no underlying root, and this absence leads to bone loss underneath the tooth.
If you have too many missing teeth, then you may have to get dentures instead. This is also a problematic solution, as the first few weeks of using dentures can be quite painful. You have to adjust your speech and chew properly as well.
With dental implants, the periodontist can install a titanium screw deep into the bone to act as the replacement root. Then you get a realistic looking crown to replace your missing tooth. This allows you to eat and talk normally, and you won't have to experience too much pain along the way.
You don't need to remove the dental implant to clean it, unlike bridges and dentures. You can just brush your teeth and floss regularly as you did before. There's no chance that it will be accidentally dislodged. It doesn't lead to bone loss at all, and it can last for the rest of your life.
You can wear a beaming smile that shows just how happy you are because there's no discomfort, no weird taste in the mouth, and no complicated maintenance. It's like you have your natural teeth back. You also won't have to worry that you'll sneeze or laugh and your replacement teeth will come out flying in front of a date or an important work client.
Do you have an excessively gummy smile? When you show too much of your gums when you smile, it's not a particularly appealing sight for many people. But your periodontist can just remove the excess gum so that a larger part of your natural teeth is exposed instead. You end up with a smile that's more toothy than gummy, and your smile can look a lot more natural.
This procedure isn't just for cosmetic reasons either. The removal of the excess gum tissue can help prevent gum disease since it reduces the areas between the teeth where the decay-causing bacteria can grow.
Do you have serious issues with your smile beyond just uneven or yellowed teeth? If you're missing some teeth or have gum issues, you're better off with a periodontist who knows what to do to make you look and feel better about your teeth and gums.
For most people, a regular dentist should be good enough for routine dental care visits. But then again, some people have special oral care issues, and for these situations, you may need specially trained dentists with extra years of schooling. In many cases when you want to look better, you may need the help of professional periodontists.