periodontal surgery, what is it and what is included?

Periodontal Surgery

While mild periodontal or gum problems can be treated with scaling and root planning, more serious problems require periodontal surgery for treatment. There are many types of gum surgeries which are performed by dentists to treat long-standing gum problems.

What is Periodontal Surgery

As the name suggests, periodontal surgery involves surgical procedures which are aimed at restoring the health of the gums and the jaw bones by removing plaque and tartar deposits from the surface of the teeth.

What are Different Types of Periodontal Surgeries?

·         Gum Grafting/ Reshaping – one of the most common signs of a long-standing periodontal infection is gum recession. While gum recession can be reversed in early stages through professional cleaning and oral hygiene maintenance, severe gum recession is treated by taking a soft graft from other parts of the oral cavity and grafting it over the gums to restore the optimal length and height of the gum tissue.

·         Deep Scaling, Root Planning and Pocket Reduction – when oral hygiene measures like brushing and flossing are ignored, plaque and tartar deposits start forming on the teeth. These adherent deposits are ideal sites for the proliferation and growth of harmful bacteria which release toxins and destroy fibers which attach the gums to the teeth and jaw bone. As a result, gaps or “pockets” start to form between the teeth and gums. Your dentist will treat these periodontal pockets by performing scaling and root planning. Scaling and root planning involve the use of ultrasonic instruments which vibrate at very high frequencies and remove plaque and tartar deposits from the crown and root surfaces of the teeth.

·         Bone Regeneration – long-standing gum and periodontal infections cause significant damage to the jaw bone in which the teeth are embedded. Continued bone loss can result in the mobility of teeth, ultimately leading to tooth loss. To prevent this, a bone grafting or regeneration procedure is performed which involves raising a gum tissue flap, exposing the bone defect and filling it with a bioactive material which promotes bone formation in the region.

·         Gum Reduction/Crown Lengthening – in some case, excessive growth of the gum tissues can occur due to certain periodontal problems, or due to the intake of various medications. As a result of excessive growth of gum tissue, the crown of the tooth starts to appear shorter and affects facial esthetics. To restore normal gum tissue length, your dentist will perform surgery and remove the excessive gum tissue.

Periodontal surgery can be easily avoided. Simply make sure that your brush and floss your teeth daily, and you can save yourself from virtually all dental problems.