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IMPORTANT-1) Educate yourself about all aspects
of your dental experience-ie. insurance, diagnosis, treatment, etc. 2) Concerning Periodontics- Ask if the person treating
your periodontal disease is a periodontist. 3) Periodontal treatments can help you keep your teeth longer if you have periodontal
disease. 4) Cost-compare prices if you don't have insurance
Dental hygienist
Dental hygiene program admission requirements can vary, depending upon the school. High school-level courses such as health,
biology, psychology, chemistry, mathematics and speech will be beneficial. Most programs do show a preference for individuals
who have completed at least one year of college. Some baccalaureate degree programs require two years of college prior to
enrollment in the dental hygiene program. Dental hygienists receive an education through academic programs at community colleges,
technical colleges, dental schools or universities. The majority of community college programs take at least two years, with
graduates receiving associate degrees. Receipt of this degree allows a hygienist to take licensure examinations, become licensed
and to work in a dental office. Dental hygienists must have their work supervised by a general dentist.
What does a dental hygienist do?
• Patient screening procedures
• Teaches patients good oral hygiene
• Applies preventive materials such as fluorides and sealants
• Counsels patients regarding good nutrition
• Removes calculus and plaque from the teeth
• Informs the general dentist about any periodontal problems and makes recommendations for referral to a periodontist
General Dentist
A college undergraduate degree is recommended as preparation for dental school. A Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor
of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree requires four academic years of study.
Continuing education courses are now manditory for all dentists in the state of Wisconsin.
What does a general dentist do?
• General Dentistry- all aspects - any specialty work is expected to be performed at the level of the specialist.
•Recommends referral to specialists based on specialty referral guidelines-For Periodontics-See Guidelines For The Management
Of Patients With Periodontal Disease- Academy Report- AAP link on the bottom of this page
Specialist
The majority of practicing dentists today are general practitioners. The remainder of dentists (about 20%) are dental specialists
who limit their practices to one of the nine ADA recognized dental specialties. The nine dental specialties are as follows:
Dental Public Health, Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Oral and Maxillofacial
Surgery, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics and Prosthodontics. In addition to four
years of dental school, two or more additional years of dental specialty education are required.
(Periodontics- In 1948, upon recommendation
by the American Academy of Periodontology, the American Dental Association recognized the American Board of Periodontology
as the official specialty board for periodontists and periodontics as an official specialty. )
Don't Ignore Your Oral Health
If you value your oral as well as your overall health, a periodontal evaluation is a good idea. Sometimes the only way to
detect periodontal disease is through a periodontal evaluation. A periodontal evaluation may be especially important if you:
* Notice any symptoms of periodontal disease.
* Have heart disease, diabetes, respiratory disease or osteoporosis.
* Are thinking of becoming pregnant.
* Have a family member with periodontal disease.
Periodontal bacteria can enter the blood stream and travel to major organs and begin new infections. Research is suggesting
that this may:
* Contribute to the development of heart disease, the nation's leading cause of death.
* Increase the risk of stroke.
* Increase a woman's risk of having a preterm, low birth weight baby.
* Pose a serious threat to people whose health is compromised by diabetes, respiratory diseases, or osteoporosis.
Research suggests that the bacteria that cause periodontal disease can pass through saliva. This means the common contact
of saliva in families puts children and couples at risk for contracting the periodontal disease of another family member.
* Have a sore or irritation in your mouth that does not get better within two weeks.
AAP treatment guidelines stress that periodontal
health should be achieved in the least invasive and most cost-effective manner. This is often accomplished through non-surgical
periodontal treatment, including scaling and root planing followed by adjunctive therapy such as local delivery antimicrobials
and host modulation, as needed on a case-by-case basis.
Most periodontists agree that after scaling and root planing, patients do not require any further active treatment, including
surgical therapy. However, the majority of patients will require ongoing maintenance therapy to sustain health. Non-surgical
therapy does have its limitations, however, and when it does not achieve periodontal health, surgery may be indicated to restore
periodontal anatomy damaged by periodontal diseases and to facilitate oral hygiene practices.
If a patient is diagnosed with periodontal disease, a periodontist may recommend periodontal surgery. Periodontal surgery
is necessary when a periodontist determines that the tissue around your teeth is unhealthy and cannot be repaired with non-surgical
treatment.
If you require surgery and live in another state, country or are planning to go on vacation, please allow time for the required
post-operative appointments, which are an important part of your treatment and are mandatory.
If you are planning to get pregnant or are pregnant, surgery will not be perfomed until after delivery.
Important- Please be aware that local delivery
antimicrobials (LDAs) which are injected into deep pockets (like tetracyclines (Actisite®) including doxycycline (Atridox®)
and minocycline (Arestin®), metronidazole (Elyzol®) and chlorhexidine (Periochip®)) are not a substitute for surgical treatment
where needed. You may require periodontal surgical treatment to address the problem.
"Therapies other than LDAs should be considered when:
•Multiple sites with probing depths greater than or equal to 5mm exist in the same quadrant.
•The use of LDAs has failed to control periodontitis (eg. reduction of probing depths).
•Vertical defects are present (eg. intrabony defects)."
-See American Academy of Periodontology Statement On Local Delivery of Sustained or Controlled Release Antimicrobials as Adjunctive
Therapy in the Treatment Of Periodontitis. J Periodontol 2006;77:1458- AAP link on Patient Resources page
-Also See Guidelines For The Management Of Patients With Periodontal Disease- Academy Report- AAP link on Patient Resources
page
For answers to most frequently asked questions, click on the link
below (Source = American Academy of Periodontology):
To learn more about the field of periodontics, go to the American
Academy of Periodontology website:
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