Are you experiencing oral difficulties like bleeding gums, loose teeth, or missing teeth? Are you looking for a qualified periodontist to help with your concerns? At Washington Periodontics in Burke, Virginia, our excellent periodontist, Dr. Christine Karapetian, can help with your oral problems. She is a highly qualified periodontist who strives to help each of her patients heal and restore their gums and teeth.
Regardless of what your concerns are, Dr. Karapetian can help you! However, there comes the question of what makes a good periodontist. How can Dr. Karapetian help you? In this article, we will go over our periodontists’ qualities and the treatments they can provide for patients.
Attributes of a Great Periodontist
Going to a periodontist can be nerve-racking, especially if you are dealing with dental issues such as gum disease. However, with the right periodontist, you can ensure that you get the proper care you need!
Education and Experience
Education and experience are the main factors that make a great periodontist. Dr. Christine Karapetian has undergone extensive implant dentistry training and is an award-winning periodontist. She is part of several dental associations and has received high patient reviews. She is a highly revered periodontist in the Burke area, and when you visit her office, you can guarantee you are getting the proper care necessary for your oral health goals.
Compassion and Empathy
A great periodontist is someone who has the knowledge and experience to do the job right and genuinely cares for their patients. Dr. Christine Karapetian has compassion and empathy when treating her patients and always strives to make them feel comfortable during their treatments. During your first consultation with her, you can assess the care and treatment she provides and will find instant satisfaction during your appointment.
Strong Communication Skills
A periodontist must have strong communication skills. Dr. Christine Karapetian communicates with her patients clearly and effectively, explaining the different treatment options and procedures in a way you can understand. As a great periodontist, she can answer any questions before, during, and after your treatment.
A Keen Eye for Detail
Your periodontist must have a keen eye for detail. Dr. Christine Karapetian can spot any issues in your gums, teeth, and mouth that may be causing you problems. Dr. Karapetian can quickly identify potential issues and offer tailored treatments that meet your personal needs.
A Passion for Continued Learning
A great periodontist always stays updated with the latest trends and techniques in periodontal disease management and treatment. Dr. Christine Karapetian is always willing to improve her skills to provide the best possible care for her patients.
Procedures Our Periodontist Provides
Fortunately, periodontics offers a range of solutions to replace missing teeth or restore severely damaged ones. At Washington Periodontics, we provide several procedures to help restore your teeth and gums. The treatment plans we provide include:
Dental implants are titanium posts inserted into the jawbone to support a prosthetic tooth, bridge, or denture. These implants are the most popular option for replacing missing teeth because of their durability, natural look, and functionality. The procedure involves multiple steps, starting with implantation, then integration with the bone over several months, and finally, attaching the prosthetic crown, bridge, or denture.
Implant-supported dentures are similar to traditional dentures, but they are secured in place using dental implants instead of resting on the gums or held with adhesives. This technique provides a more stable and functional alternative to removable dentures, reducing the risk of slipping or dislodgement while eating or speaking. Implant-supported dentures are ideal for patients who have lost all or most of their teeth.
3. All-on-4s
All-on-4s is a revolutionary dental procedure that allows patients to receive a full set of teeth in just one day. This procedure involves placing four to six dental implants in the jawbone and attaching an arch of prosthetic teeth on top. The technique uses angled placement of the implants to maximize support and avoid the need for bone grafting in patients with insufficient bone to support traditional implants.
Full-mouth rehabilitation is a comprehensive procedure to restore a healthy and functional mouth. This procedure often involves several treatments like dental implants, crown and bridge, gum contouring, veneers, and teeth whitening. Full-mouth rehabilitation is ideal for patients with multiple dental problems, including missing teeth, damaged teeth, gum disease, bite problems, and jaw pain.
5. Bone and Soft-Tissue Grafting
This dental procedure is typically done when severe damage to the gums and bone surrounding your teeth has occurred. The periodontist will remove some of your healthy bone from another part of your body, usually the jaw, and transplant it to the damaged area. Bone can also come from a donor or a synthetic source. This operation helps regenerate any lost bone and promotes natural healing.
Soft-tissue grafting restores the gum line and provides a natural-looking appearance to your teeth. It is often done to avoid further recession and improve the aesthetics of a smile. This procedure is typically done in-office and is an effective way of restoring dental health for patients with advanced gum disease.
6. Frenectomy
Another common procedure carried out by periodontists is the frenectomy. This operation helps to remove small folds of gum tissue that connect the lips to the gums (labial frenum) or the tongue to the floor of the mouth (lingual frenum or frenulum linguae). The process is quick and only lasts for a few minutes. The benefits of a frenectomy include improved oral health and aesthetic appeal. The procedure can also aid in correcting speech issues and provide relief to patients with ankyloglossia or tongue-tie.
This is the most common procedure carried out by periodontists, and it involves the removal of a tooth from the mouth. Extractions are often done when the teeth are too far gone from decay, damaged, or crowded, leading to bite problems. This procedure is typically done under local anesthesia and can take several minutes, depending on the case’s complexity. Patients will feel some discomfort afterward, but the periodontist will prescribe pain medications to help with the recovery process.
Why Visit a Periodontist?
Visiting a periodontist brings numerous benefits, especially for oral health patients. Periodontists specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating gum disease, a condition that could lead to tooth loss if left untreated. By performing regular check-ups, they can identify early signs of gum problems and implement effective treatments. Moreover, periodontists possess the skills to perform cosmetic procedures that can improve your smile, such as gum grafts or dental implants, offering a comprehensive approach to health and aesthetics.
What is periodontics?
Periodontics is a highly specialized branch of dentistry. Periodontists are specialists in the detection, prevention, treatment, and management of conditions that affect the periodontium, which refers to the hard and soft tissues that support the teeth, including the gums.
What do healthy gums look and feel like?
Healthy gums are generally pinkish-red. They are not puffy and hold firm to the teeth. Also, you should not feel them. If your gumline hurts when you touch it with your finger, brush, or floss, it could indicate gum disease.
How do gums become damaged?
The biggest threats to your gums come from starches and sugars that, when not removed properly through consistent brushing and flossing, contribute to the growth of harmful bacteria. These bacteria are the primary cause of gum disease, and the immune system often struggles to fight them effectively. This leads to plaque formation, destroying the supportive tissues that hold teeth in place. Without proper treatment, this may result in tooth loss. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain good oral hygiene at home and to seek professional dental care regularly.
Do I need treatment?
It depends on what we find during an exam. If the disease is present, interventions are tailored to the severity or “stage.” For instance, early-stage inflammation or gingivitis may be treated without surgery. It may take a professional or deep cleaning called “Scaling and Root Planing.” Antibiotic therapies may be introduced to fight the bacterial infection. For more advanced periodontitis, surgery may be necessary. Surgical procedures may also be recommended for those individuals whose gums fail to heal with the other nonsurgical products and procedures mentioned here.
Why would I need surgery?
Without prompt professional intervention, inflammation (gingivitis) can progress to infection (periodontitis). At this stage, deep pockets form between the teeth and gums that harbor more bacteria, plaque, and tartar. These severe infections can also result in the loss of the supportive soft tissue (gums) and the hard tissue (bone). Teeth can become loose and may be lost completely or require professional removal or extraction if they cannot be preserved through other means like root canal therapy. When bone is lost, it is lost for good. To support your smile’s health, function, and beauty, we must regenerate or build up the lost tissue.
How do you treat severe damage?
Surgical recommendations are again based on your needs, including the extent of damage or the severity of your periodontitis. For instance, the roots of your teeth may be accessed through a small opening in the gums. We can then better “deep clean” the teeth (scale and root plane). Additionally, the underlying bone may be reshaped before the gums are sutured back into place. Special “tissue-stimulating” substances may also be applied to encourage the growth of healthy bone and soft tissue. We also provide soft and hard tissue grafts, whereby tissue from one part of the body or another is applied to the deteriorated area.Â
Your Periodontist in Burke, VA
When visiting our periodontist in the Burke area, you can guarantee the proper care and comfort you expect when receiving oral care. Our periodontist, Dr. Karapetia, is highly educated and has provided award-winning care for all her patients who have come into her office.
At our office, we love to help our patients restore their smiles and leave feeling satisfied with their care. Dr. Karapetian and her team proudly serve Burke and the surrounding areas, offering advanced technology to ensure the best care! So, if you are experiencing oral concerns or want to ensure your teeth and gums are healthy, schedule an appointment with Dr. Karapetian today!
