In the last article, we discussed how your general dentist and periodontist work together to help protect your oral health and smile. Sometimes, your general dentist may refer you to a periodontist so they can work together to restore a missing tooth.
Today, replacing missing teeth with dental implants has become the standard of care. In past years missing teeth were replaced with cemented bridges or removable appliances. These are still options, but they all have drawbacks. Making a cemented bridge requires grinding down teeth which may be perfectly healthy. In spite of what you may think, dentists do not like grinding away perfectly healthy enamel. Replacing a missing tooth with an implant-supported crown avoids touching and involving the surrounding teeth. And if a removable appliance is your only option, placing several implants in areas where the teeth are missing gives a solid anchorage to the removable appliance, so there is no adhesive necessary and no visible metal clasps. Periodontists have become the experts at placing dental implants, and they can work together with your general dentist to plan your treatment and give you comfortable and attractive replacements for missing teeth.
In your life, you will see a number of different oral health specialists. So if or when your general dentist refers you to a periodontist, know that both your oral health teams are working together to help you achieve the best results and smile.