Dr. Dennis Hunt has been practicing dentistry for almost 30 years! In 1994, he graduated from UCLA with a D.D.S. degree. Dr. Hunt is a fully comprehensive dentist, with a speciality in periodontics. Dr. Hunt was the periodontist for "The Swan" show on the Fox network.
Dr. Hunt is committed to continuing his education and has retained a scholastic component to his career. He has published many articles regarding bone regeneration for dental implants and bone biology. Dr. Hunt is currently a forerunner and leader in the dental community due to his expertise in the use of the powerful bone growing protein BMP (bone morphogenetic proteins).
Dr. Hunt is a proud and active member of the American Dental Association, the California Dental Association, the ADAS and the American Academy of Periodontics.
Dr. Hunt is proud to be a periodontist at Bellflower Dental Group and he looks forward to helping the Bellflower community have a happy and healthy smile.
In his free time, Dr. Hunt enjoys playing tennis and golf and loves to travel the world!
A periodontist is a dental doctor that specializes in preventing, evaluating, diagnosing and treating periodontal (gum) disease. Additionally, periodontists are experts at scaling and root planing of an infected tooth root and can remove damaged tissue from teeth. They are skilled in maintaining the supportive structures of the teeth (jaw bone), gum inflammation treatment and dental implants placement.
In many ways, periodontists are considered the “plastic surgeons of dentistry”. Not only can they get you out of pain, but they can completely reconstruct the health and aesthetics of your teeth and mouth, leaving you with a smile that is not only healthy, but beautiful.
Periodontists require an additional three years of education after graduating from dental school. This additional schooling gives them specialized training to carry out periodontal procedures to help treat and enhance periodontal issues. While dentists can treat a myriad of oral health issues, periodontists specialize in the treatment of periodontal disease and the placement of dental implants.
Periodontal disease is caused by harmful bacteria that builds up in the mouth and leads to bleeding gums and bone loss. Additionally, poor oral hygiene, genetics, smoking, age, gender and medications can cause gum disease.
Did you know that about half of adults in the US age 30 and over suffer from gum disease? However, gum disease certainly varies in degree of severity and doesn’t always require a trip to see a periodontist. Early issues with gum disease can be treated during regular dental appointments.
Here are some signs that you may need to see a periodontist. If you have noticed a change in your bite while you are chewing or performing your daily hygiene routine, you should see a periodontist.
You should see a periodontist if you have red, swollen and/or bleeding gums, your teeth feel loose, you have bad breath, your gums are receding and/or if you have pain and discomfort in your gums.
Once you have periodontal disease, it is manageable but not curable. Some ways that the periodontist will treat your periodontal disease is with deep cleanings, irrigation, laser treatments, medications or even gum surgery. These procedures reduce bacteria, but they do not remove it all.
Untreated gum disease can lead to additional problems outside your mouth. It has been linked to diabetes, strokes, cancer, arthritis, bone disease, heart disease and liver disease. Some ways to prevent gum disease are to quit smoking, brush two times a day for two minutes, floss daily and visit the dentist at least once every six months.
As previously stated, periodontists go beyond just the treatment of gum disease. They are experts in all supporting structures of the mouth. If a tooth is missing or needs to be removed, a periodontist is the dental expert who will diagnose and evaluate if you are a candidate for dental implant restorative surgery.
If you think that you may have gum disease and/or are missing a tooth or teeth, please give us a call today so that we can set you up for an appointment with our periodontist. During your visit, we will review your entire health history, both medical and dental. We will need to know any medications or conditions you have. Once we have assessed the health of your gums and teeth, the periodontist and our team will help come up with a treatment plan that is personalized to you.
Remember, gum disease is much more manageable if diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
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