Lincoln Park · Periodontics
Periodontist in Lincoln Park, Chicago
A top-rated Lincoln Park practice for gum care, rated 4.6 stars across 1,600+ Google reviews, with a periodontist who heads the department at UIC.
- 4.6 out of 5 stars1,600+ Google reviews (opens in new tab)
- Family-owned since 2003
- Board-certified periodontist
A periodontist is a dental specialist who completes three additional years of training after dental school in the gums and bone that support the teeth, treating gum disease and recession and placing dental implants surgically.
Our Lincoln Park office has a periodontist in the building rather than at the end of a referral. Dr. Praveen Gajendrareddy is board certified and a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, and he serves as Professor and Head of the Department of Periodontics at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry.
Specialist gum care without a referral across the city
Most people get sent to a periodontist rather than choosing one, usually after a cleaning turns up deep pockets, bleeding that will not settle, or a tooth that has started to feel loose. Being referred inside the same practice changes the experience: your x-rays, charting, and history are already here, the general dentist and the specialist compare notes directly, and you are not repeating the story to a new front desk across the city.
The work covers the full range. Scaling and root planing and periodontal maintenance for gum disease, gum grafting for recession that has exposed root surfaces, crown lengthening and gum recontouring when a cosmetic case needs the frame corrected first, bone grafting and sinus lifts, and the surgical placement of dental implants. Dr. Reddy also leads research in wound healing and tissue regeneration at UIC, which is the same subject as the healing you are asking him about.
Gum disease is worth taking seriously early, because bone that has been lost does not grow back on its own. The difference between catching it at deep pockets and catching it at a loose tooth is usually the difference between a few maintenance visits and surgery.
Who it's a good fit for
- You were told you have gum disease, deep pockets, or bone loss
- Your gums bleed regularly or have receded and exposed the roots
- You have a loose tooth or gums that have pulled away from a crown
- You need a gum graft, crown lengthening, or recontouring before cosmetic work
- You want implant surgery done by a specialist near Lincoln Park, not a referral
What to expect
- Full periodontal charting: pocket depths measured tooth by tooth, plus x-rays
- A staged plan in writing, starting with the least invasive option that works
- Scaling and root planing first in most cases, usually across two visits
- Surgery only where charting shows non-surgical care will not hold
- Maintenance visits every three to four months to keep the result stable
Common questions
- Who is the periodontist at your Lincoln Park office?
- Dr. Praveen Gajendrareddy, known to patients as Dr. Reddy. He is board certified and a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, holds a PhD in Oral Biology from The Ohio State University and his periodontics certificate from UIC, and serves as Professor and Head of the Department of Periodontics at the UIC College of Dentistry. He treats patients at both our Lincoln Park and Schaumburg offices.
- Do I need a referral to see a periodontist here?
- No. You can book directly, and plenty of patients do after a cleaning elsewhere turned up deep pockets. If you are already our patient, the referral happens inside the building, so your charting and x-rays carry over instead of being redone.
- What is the difference between a deep cleaning and gum surgery?
- A deep cleaning, properly called scaling and root planing, removes bacteria and hardened deposits from the root surfaces below the gum line, usually over two visits with the area numbed. Surgery becomes the option when pockets stay deep after that, because at some depths the surfaces cannot be reached or kept clean without opening the area. Charting after the deep cleaning is what decides which of the two you actually need.
- Can gum recession be fixed?
- Often, yes. Gum grafting rebuilds tissue over exposed roots, which reduces sensitivity and protects the root from decay. Whether grafting is right for you depends on how much tissue remains and what caused the recession in the first place, since brushing technique and grinding will keep undoing the result if they are not addressed alongside it.
- Does insurance cover periodontal treatment?
- Most dental plans cover scaling and root planing and periodontal maintenance, often at a higher percentage than cosmetic work, because gum disease is a medical necessity. Surgical procedures and grafting vary more by plan. We verify benefits and provide a written estimate before treatment.
- How do I choose the best periodontist in Chicago?
- Start with the credential, because "periodontist" describes specific training and board certification you can verify rather than a self-description. Ask whether they are a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology. Ask whether they place implants surgically as well as treating gum disease, so one specialist can carry the case through. Ask whether grafting is done in-house. Dr. Reddy is board certified and heads Periodontics at UIC, and patients rate this office 4.6 stars across more than 1,600 Google reviews.
Book at our Lincoln Park office
Same-day and routine appointments: book online or call us directly.
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Looking for the brand-level overview?
SpecialtyPeriodontal care