In its simplest terms, periodontists are dentists who treat gum (periodontal) disease which is mainly caused by plaque bacteria, and affected by other factors such as pregnancy, medications, smoking, diabetes, heart disease, and other health conditions. In addition to treating gum disease, periodontists offer a variety of cosmetic procedures such as gingival recontouring / reshaping of the gum to enhance the smile line, gingival augmentation / gum grafting to cover expose and sensitive root services of the teeth and dental implants to restore missing teeth in a permanent fashion.