Gum surgery

Some patients that have periodontal disease might need gum surgery. Gum surgery is indicated for patients that have advanced periodontal disease that does not respond to non-surgical treatment. There are different types of gum surgery: flap surgery (pocket reduction), regeneration/bone graft surgery, mucogingival surgery, crown lengthening surgery and more.

Types:

There is a number of gym surgeries that can help an array of conditions. Some are used often and for a variety of cases, while others are less commonly used. Gum surgery is the ideal solution for patients affected by periodontal disease. Since the periodontal tissue doesn’t have the ability to regenerate, other techniques have to be used. It all starts with gingivitis and swollen gums. If it’s not treated on time, it will progress to periodontal diseases. Proper non-surgical treatment will help with the recovery, but gum surgery will be necessary in most cases too.

Pocket reduction:

One of the most common types is a pocket reduction. It is also professionally known as gingival flap surgery. During this procedure, the dentist does a surgical flap, cuts into the gingiva to gain access to the tissue and the surface of the root. Once that happens, the surgeon will remove all of the bacteria, debris, dead tissue cells, the inflamed tissue and leave a clean surface that can regenerate much faster.

Crown lengthening

Crown lengthening is another procedure that sometimes is also done for cosmetic reasons. Some people suffer from gum inflammation that causes the gums to be proliferated and to cover a part of the crown. That is when the dentist will remove all the excessive tissue. That way the crown will look longer and the appearance will be better. This procedure is both cosmetic and as a part of the treatment.

Soft tissue graft

Soft tissue graft is a common treatment for receded gums. Once the gum tissue has receded below the gum line, the defect is very visible. A lot of patients choose to get this procedure done and for a large number of them, it is a necessity. The soft tissue graft includes getting a healthy gum tissue from another part of the mouth and grafting it to the selected tooth.

Regeneration

Dentists use a number of procedures to stimulate the regeneration of gum tissues. Once the tissue has been inflamed and affected by bacteria it will need additional help to regenerate. First, the dentist removes all of the dead cells, debris, bacteria and inflamed tissue. Then he places either special membranes that stimulate the growth of new tissue, proteins or grafts.

In some cases, these defects in the gum tissue are not caused by the periodontal disease. They can be genetic or appear as a result of some other anatomical features. The same gingival surgeries can be also used for these patients.

A lot of dentists use lasers to perform periodontal surgery. The laser provides clean cuts, lowers the chances of a post-surgical infection, destroys bacteria and is much more comfortable for the patient. This new advancement also controls the bleeding and speeds up the recovery. All of the gingival surgeries have to be performed under anesthesia. The healing period is often short, but the patient has to take really good care of the oral hygiene.