
Healthy Caucasian male smiles with a periodontal probe and mouth mirror near mouth close-up. Periodontal treatment.
Periodontitis, also known as periodontal disease or gum disease, is a serious gum infection. It often starts as a common and preventable condition but eventually results in tooth loss and pain. It’s usually the result of poor oral hygiene such as neglecting to brush and floss your teeth properly. Regular dental checkups and improved oral hygiene are the keys to preventing periodontitis. However, there may be times when you need expert advice from a trained periodontist. If you need to speak with a periodontist, Dr. Newhart is the nearest periodontist to Marietta, OH. Contact TheGumDr to schedule an appointment.
What Is a Periodontist?
A periodontist is a dentist that specializes in diagnosing, preventing, and treating periodontal disease. They can also help patients place dental implants in the event that a tooth needs to be removed. A tooth may need to be removed such as with irreversible damage or infection that may affect neighboring teeth.
Periodontists receive extensive training that extends beyond regular dental school. They familiarize themselves with techniques dealing with periodontal disease and can perform cosmetic procedures to restore a patient’s smile.
What Is the Difference Between a Periodontist and a Dentist?
A dentist will typically cover general dental concerns. This could include cleaning your teeth or treating areas of your mouth. They provide standard services for helping someone restore or improve their oral health. However, when conditions get progressively worse or become far too complex for a regular dentist, they may refer you to a periodontist.
A periodontist can be thought of as a specialized dentist that focuses on the gums and the bone supporting the teeth. While they have extensive dental knowledge, their expertise lies in dealing with complex cases. They typically don’t perform regular dental duties such as a hygienist session to clean your teeth.
There may be certain gum-related conditions that a dentist is more than capable of helping you with. However, they often refer patients to a periodontist if the problem is severe and out of their scope of expertise. If you see a dentist in Marietta, OH, you’ll likely be referred to a periodontist near Marietta, OH, which would likely be Dr. Newhart, if you’re suffering from a severe case of periodontitis. You are free to schedule a consultation with the periodontist of your choice.
What Procedures Does a Periodontist Perform?
Periodontists offer specialized treatments to deal with periodontal disease. Treatment may include safe and minimally-invasive procedures such as LANAP (Laser-Assisted New Attachment Procedure). Other treatments may involve traditional periodontal surgery. They may also offer dental implants, bone grafting of the jaw, gingivectomy, crown lengthening, gingival gum grafts, or techniques to cover exposed roots.
Periodontists may also specialize in cosmetic surgery procedures such as dental implants, regenerative procedures, and oral plastic surgery to help improve the appearance of someone’s smile. However, not all periodontists offer a range of cosmetic procedures.
Patient in Marietta, OH, Should Contact Dr. Newhart
If you’re facing any kind of dental issue, you should visit a dentist first to see if they can help. A periodontist specializes in looking after the health of the gums and is an expert in gum disease treatment and the placement of dental implants. Dr. Newhart at TheGumDr is such a periodontist and is very talented in his profession. There are some common signs to look out for when it comes to gum-related problems. Here are a couple of scenarios when a patient from Marietta, OH, should come to see Dr. Newhart:
- If you’re facing periodontitis symptoms such as redness, swelling, or bleeding.
- Your gums have started to recede.
- You feel soreness in your gums or you have discomfort in your mouth that isn’t localized to a specific tooth or area.
- Your teeth are starting to loosen over time.
- Biting or chewing food feels uncomfortable.
If you encounter any of these symptoms, we highly recommend that you speak to Richard Newhart even if you are from Marietta, OH. A team member will schedule you for an initial appointment to examine your teeth and the severity of your periodontitis. We will recommend the most non-invasive procedures as your condition will allow.
In the event that the infection has spread and is getting progressively worse, you may need to have teeth and/or tissue removed. However, this is usually a last resort and your periodontist will exhaust all other options before relying on an extraction. Dental implants may replace the missing teeth to restore the functionality and appearance of your mouth.
Why Marietta Patients Visit Dr. Newhart
TheGumDr is led by Dr. Richard Newhart, a periodontist in Parkersburg, WV, and the closest periodontist to Marietta, OH. He is one of the first periodontists in the state of West Virginia to offer LANAP procedures that treat bone loss and infected gums. He’s been serving the Marietta, OH, area since 1989, offering locals effective treatments for periodontitis.
Dr. Newhart is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Periodontology, and has also been a member of the West Virginia Dental Society for 25 years. Dr. Newhart firmly believes in staying up-to-date with the latest periodontal techniques and treatments to provide the best service possible to his patients.
If you’d like to learn more about TheGumDr and our services, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation or speak to a member of our team. If you are unsure about your periodontitis symptoms or looking for relief from pain, we are more than happy to offer our assistance.