Periodontists and dental implants Periodontics
Periodontists place dental implants and manage the bone and gum that hold them. The AAP lists complex implant cases, such as several implants, limited jawbone or the upper back jaw near the sinus, as reasons to see a periodontist. The general dentist usually makes the crown.
Why does the gum and bone matter for an implant?
An implant needs enough bone to bond to and a healthy band of gum to seal around it. Periodontists plan both: bone grafting, sinus lifts and soft tissue grafts before or with the implant.
What about infection around implants?
The 2017 World Workshop defined peri-implant health, mucositis and peri-implantitis. Patients with a history of periodontitis carry more risk, which is why maintenance with a periodontist continues after the implant.
Questions
Should a periodontist or a general dentist place my implant?
Simple single implants are placed by many trained dentists. Limited bone, the sinus area, several implants or a history of gum disease favor a periodontist.
Sources
Periodontics Read next
What is a periodontistA periodontist is a dentist who has completed three additional years of accredited residency in periodontics.
Training and schoolsPeriodontists train in three-year residencies accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.AssociationsPeriodontists in Florida belong to national, regional and state bodies.
ResearchThe newest research comes first.Board certificationA board-certified periodontist is a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology (ABP).History of periodonticsPeriodontics grew from Pierre Fauchard's 1728 description of gum disease, through John Riggs's 19th-century therapy and the founding of the American Academy of Periodontology in 1914, to the science of the late 20th century: plaque as …