Surgical Treatment Options (Gingivectomy, Pocket Reduction Surgery, Bone grafting)
Surgical Treatment Options (Gingivectomy, Pocket Reduction Surgery, Bone grafting)
Periodontal disease can cause extensive damage to your gums and bone. When you visit a dental office, the periodontist will examine your gums and the bone to see how badly they have been affected. Surgical treatments may be required in situations where non-surgical treatments are deemed ineffective. The dentist will provide a range of surgical therapies for periodontitis including pocket reduction, gingivectomy, and bone grafting.
Gingivectomy
Gingivectomy involves complete removal of part of the gum tissue from in and around your tooth to help treatment your gum disease or to increase the height and width of your tooth or part of your teeth. Gingivectomy surgery is completed with a scalpel, but in some cases, the periodontist may use a low-frequency laser instead.
The dentist trims and removes the diseased tissue, allowing him or her to reach the gums in and around your teeth using stitches. The dentist cleans the area with saline and special dental rinses. The periodontist administers a local anesthetic to help you remain comfortable during the surgery. Once the procedure is done, the dentist places a surgical dressing or maybe a pack in and around your gums and teeth. The dressing stays in place for a week or so to allow the healing of the site.
Pocket Reduction
When gum disease causes the gum pocket to deepen to a point where cleaning through at-home oral hygiene routine or professional cleaning is ineffective, pocket reduction surgery may be recommended. During the procedure, the periodontist folds back your gum tissue allowing him or her to remove bacteria that cause periodontitis or gum disease. The dentist then secures the gum tissue back in place. Sometimes, the dentist may smooth out the damaged surfaces of the bone to reduce the areas where bacteria can hide. The procedure allows the gum tissue to start reattaching to a healthy bone.
Bone Grafting
Bone grafting may be necessary if periodontal disease has advanced to attack the bone. You may also receive a bone graft after you have lost your tooth and need an implant. Bone graft surgery involves picking bone from other areas of the bone and placing them in the deteriorated jawbone area. The surgery helps the jawbone to rebuild and become sufficient enough to get an implant. Often, when you do not have sufficient bone, you may not get an implant because it will not be supported firmly. The periodontist, therefore, recommends that you first undertake a bone grafting surgery to rebuild the bone.
The dentist will determine which surgical procedure for gum disease is appropriate. The periodontist will consider a number of things to determine the surgery to perform. For instance, if the bone is the issue, you may require bone graft surgery. If the gum pockets are very deep as a result of progressing gum disease, a gum pocket reduction is performed. If the gums are receded, a gingivectomy procedure is done. The periodontist will discuss the options with you and explain why you need one procedure over the other.
