Blog

Periodontists are experts when it comes to managing infection related to gum disease. If you’ve never seen a periodontist—or you’re behind on your routine dental checkups—you may be wondering if it’s time to see a gum specialist.

While some people call our office directly, others are referred by their general dental provider. The most common reasons to need to see a periodontist for your gum health include:

Periodontitis that Does Not Respond to Traditional Treatment

Typically, if you have gingivitis that progresses into gum disease, your hygienist will complete a series of deep cleanings. But if your infection is not responding to soft tissue therapy or continues to worsen, the future of your smile may be at stake. If you’re failing to see reduction in inflammation, bleeding, and pocket depths after periodontal treatment, it’s time to talk to your dentist about seeing a periodontist in The Woodlands or Conroe.

Severe Bone Loss and Tooth Mobility

Once periodontitis has reached a moderate to severe stage of infection, most general practices don’t have the technological resources to treat it. Instead, they will refer their patients to a periodontist. Our practice is equipped with special equipment designed specifically for managing such conditions. We often work alongside your general dentist to treat the infection, then arrange co-therapy between our office and your main dentist until your oral infection is stabilized.

Medical Risk Factors in Addition to Gum Disease

Although an average, healthy individual might be able to treat mild to moderate gum disease in their family dental practice, having certain medical conditions may pose a challenge. For instance, people with diabetes may fall into a cycle where existing periodontal disease is more challenging to treat because of their unstable blood glucose levels. A specialist can help

Surgery or Grafting is Necessary

Depending on the extent of bone or soft tissue loss that has taken place, you may need special periodontal surgery to preserve your teeth. Necessary therapies could include soft tissue grafting, flap surgery, bone augmentation, and others. Being that each one is highly specialized, you need to work with a periodontal expert who offers such comprehensive treatments in their office.

If You’re “Exploring Your Options”

Maybe you’re not sure if it’s best to try to save your natural teeth or have them extracted (then replaced with dental implants.) Typically, the preferred option is to preserve your anatomical teeth. But if they’ve reached a point of aggressive disease, it can be disheartening trying to navigate the process without an expert opinion. Our doctors at PCE can help you feel confident about your choices.

Reserve an Appointment Today

Our periodontist in The Woodlands is always happy to see new patients. You can call our office directly or we can arrange a transfer of your records from your general dentist, then hand you off back to their care once our job is complete.

Contact our office today to reserve a no-pressure comprehensive exam with our highly-experienced North Houston periodontist.