Gum Treatment
Meet our periodontist
Dr Robert WardSpecialist Periodontist
GDC Number: 67854
View Dr Robert Ward’s Profile
BDS, LDS.RCS (Eng), MSc (Periodontics)
GDC No. 67854
Rob qualified at the Royal London Hospital in 1992. After a spell in general practice in Essex and central London, he started his MSc in Periodontlogy at the Eastman Dental Institute in 1995. In 2001 he was accepted onto the Specialist list. In 2005 he set up a Multi -disciplinary Specialist Practice in Milton Keynes. He lectured locally on a range of Periodontal subjects to his referring colleagues and set up a local study group. Rob sold his practice in 2014 and has been a peripatetic Periodontal Specialist. Robert combines Practice with a teaching role at Guys Dental Hospital. He lectures in Periodontology as well as helping to run Consultant Clinics. He enjoys supervising students in the care of their patients. Rob is delighted to receive referrals from his colleagues and is happy to use his expertise to treat patients with all ranges of Periodontal disease.
Gum treatment centre
Our specialist gum treatments protect smiles of all ages from gum disease and other issues that affect the periodontal tissues. We deliver care beyond the hygienist chair, offering treatments that treat and control gum disease, preventing further issues from escalating.
Your gums are an essential part of your smile, acting as the firm foundation for your teeth. They protect sensitive tooth roots and keep your teeth strong and healthy throughout their life.
Keeping your gums healthy benefits not only your oral health, but your general wellbeing as well, as gum disease has links to heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimers.
What is gum disease?
The presence of bacteria around the gum line causes the gum tissues to become inflamed. This is a natural immune reaction but can progress to a more aggressive and destructive response if the bacteria isn’t cleaned away.
Swollen and bleeding gums are a sign of gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease. The symptoms can be relieved through cleaning away plaque and tartar from the tooth surfaces. Regular trips to your hygienist will treat this level of gum disease. Great interdental cleaning at home will also prevent plaque from forming between the teeth.
If this stage of gum disease is left untreated, it progresses to periodontitis. This stage is much more aggressive as the tissue becomes under attack. The gums begin to recede, creating pockets between the tooth and gum which creates areas for food debris to get stuck, attracting bacteria. The bacteria can infect the gum tissue, causing it to spread.
What is periodontics?
Periodontics is the branch of dentistry concerned with treating the supporting structures of the teeth, mostly focusing on the health and maintenance of gum tissue. Periodontists are registered specialist dentists who have carried out additional years’ worth of training in this specialised field of dentistry. Periodontists are qualified to help treat more severe cases of gum disease, carry out gum surgery and place implants.
Refer to our periodontist for the following treatments:
- Full periodontal maintenance for severe periodontitis
- Gum grafts for receding gums
- Gingivectomies
- Dental Implants
