Hi doctors. my dentist wants me to see a periodontist.. he says that i have more tartar and plaque in 3 months than some patients have in a year. what may or will the periodontist do to treat this? how invasive or non-invasive might the treatment be?

Periodontist: The periodontist will evaluate the health of your gingiva and chart bone contour and pocketing around each tooth. Pocketing occurs when the bone recedes and the gingiva don't quite follow. This pocket traps food, bacteria, additional calculus, and is difficult to clean out at home. The constant inflammation surrounding the tooth perpetuates the problem. Treatment varies with severity.

2 things: The Periodontist and/or his/her hygienist will thoroughly remove all of the hard accretions that are causing permanent bone loss and eventual tooth loss. Multiplenvisits may be involved. If uncomfortable anesthesia or analgesia may be helpful. The second thing that will be done is to teach you how to properly prevent the accretions from building up in the first place.