Periodontist in Johannesburg


Specialist Care for Gum Disease, Dental Implants and Receding Gums

Your gums and jawbone form the foundation that supports your teeth. When this foundation is affected by gum disease, gum recession or bone loss, specialist treatment may be required to protect your teeth and restore oral health.

At Joburg Dental in Johannesburg, Dr R Chandran provides specialist periodontal and dental implant care, with a focus on preserving natural teeth whenever possible and rebuilding the tissues that support them when necessary.

Periodontics includes the diagnosis and treatment of gum disease (periodontitis), receding gums, loss of bone around teeth, periodontal regeneration and dental implant treatment.


What is a Periodontist?

A periodontist is a dentist who has undergone additional postgraduate specialist training in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the gums, jawbone and supporting structures of the teeth, as well as dental implant treatment.

While general dentists manage many aspects of gum health, a periodontist is particularly involved when gum disease is advanced, bone has been lost, gums have receded, teeth have become loose or more complex surgical treatment is required.


When Should You See a Periodontist?

You may benefit from a periodontal assessment if you have:


Periodontal disease can sometimes progress with surprisingly few symptoms. A comprehensive periodontal examination allows us to determine how much supporting tissue has been affected and whether the disease can be stabilised.


Gum Disease and Periodontitis

What is Periodontitis?

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease affecting the tissues and bone supporting the teeth.

It usually develops following inflammation around the gums. As the disease progresses, the attachment between the gum and tooth is damaged and bone supporting the teeth can gradually be lost.

Signs can include bleeding gums, gum recession, bad breath, movement of the teeth and eventually tooth loss.

However, periodontal disease does not always cause pain. Some patients only discover that significant bone loss has occurred when it is identified during a dental examination or on an X-ray.

The aim is to save your natural teeth whenever reasonably possible.

Periodontal treatment focuses on controlling the infection and inflammation, stabilising the supporting tissues and creating an environment that patients can maintain over the long term.


Comprehensive Periodontal Assessment

Successful periodontal treatment begins with an accurate diagnosis.

Your periodontal consultation may include:

Where periodontitis is diagnosed, it can be classified according to its stage and grade, helping us understand its severity and the risk of future progression.

Following the assessment, we can discuss which teeth have a good prognosis, which require treatment and whether any teeth have a poor or hopeless prognosis.


Periodontal Treatment

Treatment depends on the severity and pattern of the disease.

Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment

The first stage of treatment frequently involves thoroughly removing bacterial deposits and calculus from below the gumline.

This allows the tissues to heal and gives us an opportunity to assess how they respond before considering further treatment.

Periodontal Surgery

When deep periodontal pockets remain or access beneath the gums is limited, periodontal surgery may be recommended.

This allows direct access to the affected areas so that the tooth roots and surrounding tissues can be treated more effectively.

Periodontal Regeneration and Bone Grafting

Certain patterns of periodontal bone loss may be suitable for regenerative treatment.

Depending on the defect, bone grafting materials, membranes or other regenerative techniques may be used in an attempt to rebuild some of the supporting tissues that have been lost.

Not every periodontal defect can be regenerated. Suitability is determined after careful clinical and radiographic assessment.


Treatment for Receding Gums

Can Receding Gums Be Treated?

Yes. In selected cases, periodontal plastic surgery and gum grafting can be used to increase the amount of gum tissue around a tooth and, where possible, cover an exposed root.

Gum recession can occur because of several factors, including periodontal disease, thin gum tissue, tooth position, previous orthodontic treatment and traumatic brushing.

Treatment may be considered to:

The treatment required depends on the cause and extent of the recession.


Saving Teeth Whenever Possible

A tooth with significant bone loss does not automatically need to be extracted.

One of the important roles of a periodontist is determining which teeth can reasonably be retained and which have reached a point where further treatment is unlikely to provide a predictable long-term result.

Where appropriate, periodontal treatment may allow compromised teeth to remain functional for many years.

When a tooth cannot reasonably be saved, we can discuss replacement options, including dental implants where appropriate.


Periodontics and Dental Implants

Periodontics and implant dentistry are closely connected.

Successful implant treatment depends on having adequate bone and healthy soft tissue around the implant.

As part of implant treatment, periodontal procedures may include:

Where extensive implant treatment is required, the surgical and prosthetic treatment can be digitally planned before surgery.


Advanced Digital Planning

At Joburg Dental, periodontal and implant treatment is supported by modern digital technology.

Depending on your treatment, this may include:

3D CBCT imaging
Allows us to evaluate the teeth, jawbone and surrounding anatomical structures in three dimensions.

Aoralscan Elite Wireless intraoral scanning
Creates a detailed digital model of the teeth and gums without conventional impressions in many situations.

Implant photogrammetry
Allows the position of multiple dental implants to be recorded digitally for full-arch implant treatment.

MetiSmile 3D facial scanning
Allows the teeth and proposed restoration to be evaluated in relation to the patient's face and smile.

Digital implant planning and surgical guides
Implants can be planned digitally with consideration for both the available bone and the intended position of the final teeth.

The objective of using technology is not simply to make treatment more digital. It is to provide us with more information with which to diagnose, plan and carry out complex treatment.


Comfortable Periodontal Treatment

We understand that patients referred for periodontal or implant treatment may be anxious about the procedure.

Local anaesthesia is used to keep treatment comfortable, and Comfort-in needle-free anaesthesia may be used in suitable situations to make the initial administration of local anaesthetic more comfortable.

For patients undergoing more extensive periodontal or dental implant surgery, IV sedation is also available when appropriate.


Periodontal Maintenance – Protecting the Result

Periodontitis is a chronic condition. Successful treatment therefore does not finish when the active phase of treatment has been completed.

Long-term periodontal maintenance is one of the most important factors in protecting your teeth.

Your maintenance programme will be determined according to your individual risk and may include regular professional cleaning, periodontal measurements and periodic reassessment.

The aim is to identify any recurrence of disease early and maintain periodontal stability over the long term.


Frequently Asked Questions

Is a periodontist different from a dentist?

Yes. A periodontist is a dentist who has completed additional postgraduate specialist training focused on the gums, supporting bone and related tissues, as well as dental implant treatment.

Can periodontal disease be cured?

Periodontitis can usually be treated and controlled, but patients who have developed periodontal disease remain susceptible to it. Long-term maintenance and good oral hygiene are therefore important after treatment.

Can loose teeth become firm again?

Sometimes. If mobility is caused partly by periodontal inflammation, treatment may improve stability. However, the prognosis depends on the amount and pattern of remaining bone support and other factors affecting the tooth.

Can bone lost through gum disease grow back?

Some periodontal bone defects are suitable for regenerative treatment, while others are not. A periodontal examination and appropriate imaging are required to determine whether regeneration is possible.

Do receding gums grow back?

Receded gum tissue generally does not spontaneously return to its original position. In suitable cases, gum grafting or other periodontal plastic surgical procedures can cover part or all of an exposed root and/or increase tissue thickness.

Will I lose my teeth if I have periodontitis?

Not necessarily. Many teeth affected by periodontal disease can be maintained following appropriate treatment and regular periodontal maintenance. The prognosis depends on the severity of disease and several individual risk factors.

Do you need a referral to see a periodontist?

You can arrange a periodontal consultation directly. Patients are also commonly referred by their dentist when specialist periodontal assessment or treatment is required.


Specialist Periodontal Care in Johannesburg

If you have been diagnosed with gum disease, periodontal bone loss or receding gums, have loose teeth, or have been advised that teeth may need to be removed, a specialist periodontal assessment can help establish what treatment options are available.

Our first objective is to understand the condition of the gums and supporting bone and determine what can be preserved, what can be treated and what will provide a predictable long-term result.

Book a Periodontal Consultation

Arrange a consultation with Dr R Chandran at Joburg Dental, Johannesburg for specialist assessment of gum disease, gum recession, periodontal bone loss or dental implant treatment.