Periodontics

Periodontics is the name given to the care we give to the structures that support the teeth – including the gums.

At The Dentist, we are dedicated to providing our patients with comprehensive preventive oral health care, which is why we place such importance on the health of the gums. Our dental hygiene wing has been created to help prevent, diagnose, and treat periodontitis, or gum disease. More complex cases can be treated by our award-winning specialist periodontist, Professor Luigi Nibali.

Professor Nibali is a consultant at Guys Dental Hospital and Director of Postgraduate Periodontology at Kings College London. He also provides a comprehensive range of surgical and non-surgical periodontal treatments to patients at The Dentist. This includes dental implants and minimally invasive non-surgical therapy.

Professor Nibali is also able to provide our patients with soft tissue grafting treatments to help treat and restore gum recession. Receding gums are relatively common, and can be caused by a variety of issues including periodontal disease (aka gum disease), over brushing, the position of the teeth, trauma, and ageing. Gum recession can lead to more sensitivity in the tooth as the root is exposed, making eating and drinking particularly hot and cold food and beverages difficult. It can also have an impact on the aesthetic finish of a smile, leaving patients feeling self-conscious and unhappy.

Professor Nibali is highly skilled and experienced at performing connective tissue grafts, and can help restore teeth suffering from gum recession. During the treatment, the connective tissue is taken from a small flap in the mouth and then sutured onto the grafting site, i.e. the exposed root of the tooth being treated. The tissue graft then heals over the root surface. The area being treated will be numbed during this process, so the patient won’t feel a thing.

Professor Nibali is also able to provide our patients with surgical and non-surgical periodontal treatment including scaling and root planing, and gum and bone re-contouring. He is also adept at the treatment of peri-implantitis. This is when the soft and hard gum tissues that surround a dental implant or implants become inflamed. This is normally as a result of bacteria building up at the base of the implant, below the gum line which then irritates and inflames the gums, leaving the tissue damaged. If left untreated, peri-implantitis can go on to cause the bone to deteriorate as well as the loss of the implant. Symptoms to look out for include bleeding, pus, pain, changes in gum colour, swelling, and loose instability of the implant and/or prosthetic tooth.