Gum diseases like gingivitis or periodontitis may require New York periodontal surgery when they don’t respond to conservative treatments. Gum disease often results from poor oral hygiene, resulting in plaque and tartar build-up. Gingivitis causes gum redness, bleeding, and swelling, while periodontitis – an advanced form of gum disease, leads to an inflammatory response that destroys bone and tissues. As the inflammatory process occurs, the gums separate from the teeth, forming pockets that trap bacteria and cause an infection. In such cases, your oral health professional may recommend periodontal surgery to treat gum disease and the damage caused.
Types of periodontal surgery
Different types of periodontal surgery exist; the one your oral surgeon recommends depends on the type and severity of gum disease. But before surgery, your dental surgeon will give your gums a deep clean to eliminate the tartar and bacteria; this procedure is known as deep scaling. Root planing may be performed to smooth the surfaces of the roots of your teeth. The procedure ensures there are no places for tartar and bacteria to accumulate. Root planing also allows your dental surgeon to remove any tartar on the roots. The two procedures (deep scaling and root planing) usually co-occur.
Flap surgery
Flap surgery involves the surgeon lifting the gums of your teeth to remove tartar. The procedure is helpful for people with deep pockets where tartar deposits accumulate. Once the surgeon removes the tartar and cleans the area, the gums are stitched and fitted around the teeth, ensuring all pockets are closed. Some patients require bone reshaping during flap surgery.
Guided tissue regeneration
For this procedure, a surgeon places a piece of material between bone and gum tissue, preventing the gum from growing where the bone should be. Guided tissue regeneration allows the bone and connective tissues to grow.
Bone grafting
Bone grafting involves replacing the damaged bone with new bone; the bone may be manufactured or donated. Your dental surgeon may recommend this procedure when the bone surrounding the tooth’s root is damaged or weak. The goal is to firmly hold the tooth in place and help it to grow. Bone grafting is commonly used during dental implant surgery in patients with inadequate bone mass.
Preparing for gum surgery
An initial consultation with your dentist is essential to ensure it is safe for you to have surgery. During the consultation, your dentist reviews your medical history and physically examines your teeth, mouth, and jaw to check for health and stability. Issues like abscesses, infections, and other lesions could complicate the healing process, so your dentists also check for that. Finally, your dental surgeon discusses the risks and benefits of surgery and may consent to proceed with surgery.
After periodontal surgery
Your surgeon will give you detailed instructions to help you have a seamless recovery period. The length of the recovery period varies from person to person, depending on the extent of the procedure. You may need to visit your dentist one to two weeks after surgery for a checkup and stitch removal.
If you have periodontitis, book a session with your dental surgeon at DANIEL WANK, DDS, for periodontal surgery to improve your oral health.