Periodontal Surgery
Sometimes advanced periodontal disease cannot be commonly treated.
When that happens, the periodontist may suggest surgical treatment.
The most commonly used surgical periodontal treatments include:
- Gingivectomy – This procedure is conducted to remove excess gum tissue that may be overgrown on the teeth in order to provide a better area to clean the teeth. With this procedure, the periodontist would administer a local anesthetic to the patient’s gum to remove the excess gum tissue from the mouth.
- Gingivoplasty – This type of gum surgery is used to reshape gum tissue around the teeth in order to correct deformities. If a person has gum recession where the gum is pushed away from the tooth, a gingivoplasty can be performed. A gingival or gum graft can be carried out where tissue is taken from the roof of the mouth (palate) and then stitched into place on either side of the tooth at the place of the deformity.
- Gingival Flap Surgery – If gum pockets are greater than 4 millimeters in depth, the periodontist would conduct this procedure to reduce the periodontal pockets. Most patients who have been diagnosed with moderate to severe periodontitis would go through this procedure. The periodontist would cut the gum tissue in order to separate it from the teeth, conduct a thorough deep cleaning with an ultrasonic scaling device as well as hand instruments to remove tartar, plaque and biofilm below the pockets.
