What is Periodontal Surgery?
Over half of Americans suffer from some form of gum disease, which develops into more serious conditions if it is not treated right away. Sometimes surgery is necessary to repair damage from gingivitis or periodontitis. If you are concerned about the health of your gums, contact Sunrise Dental in Glendale. Our experts will give you a comprehensive examination to assess the extent of your gum disease and determine the appropriate periodontal treatment.
What is Periodontal Surgery?
The goal of periodontal surgery is to thoroughly clean the pockets around the teeth in order to prevent deterioration of the surrounding bone. Periodontal surgery encourages bone and tissue regrowth, prevents tooth loss, and eliminates infections. One or more surgical procedures may be required to reduce gaps between teeth or to restructure the bones to reduce the risk of infection.
Types of Treatments
-
Flap Surgery
In this procedure, also known as pocket reduction surgery, a periodontist lifts the gums off of the teeth and removes tartar deposits from the pockets between the teeth. Depending on the case, the doctor might also remove infected tissue or surgically reshape the bone in order to keep deep pockets from forming.
-
Guided Tissue Regeneration
For this treatment, a special meshed material is surgically inserted between the teeth and the gums. Guided tissue regeneration prevents tooth loss and encourages regrowth of the bone and connective tissues.
-
Tissue Grafting
This method repairs receded gums by surgically grafting healthy tissue—usually from the roof of the mouth—to cover and protect exposed roots. Soft tissue grafts can help to minimize further gum recession.
-
Bone Grafting
When the bones holding the roots of the teeth are severely damaged, grafts might be required to keep the teeth in place. Damaged bone is surgically replaced with other bone tissue—it could be your own bone, donated bone, or manufactured bone tissue.
-
Laser Therapy
This non-invasive therapy reduces pocket size, kills bacteria, and helps to restore damaged tissue. It may be combined with other non-invasive procedures such as scaling and root planing to discourage buildup of tartar and bacteria.
Since it is a risk factor for other serious diseases, gum disease should be treated as soon as it is detected. The type of periodontal treatment required will depend on the type and severity of gum disease. You will need to schedule a comprehensive periodontal examination in order to determine the extent of your gum disease and the proper course of therapy.
What is a Periodontal Exam?
During a periodontal examination at Sunrise Dental, we assess the condition of your gum tissue. We measure the amount of plaque and tartar on the surfaces of your teeth, and check them for any mobility. Your gums are also examined for inflammation, bleeding and recession. We take digital x-rays to determine if there is any bone loss in the jaw.
An integral part of your periodontal exam is the measurement and tracking of periodontal pockets. When your gums are healthy, they are attached firmly to your teeth. Typically, healthy gum pockets are no deeper than 3 millimeters in depth, and they do not bleed when we gently measure them. If your pockets are deeper than 4 millimeters and bleed when we measure them, this is an indication that gum disease is present.
The deeper the pockets, the more advanced your gum disease is. We take measurements at 6 points around each tooth. In conjunction with x-rays, this gives us a good idea as to the stage of your gum disease, and also helps us to determine the best methods for treating your gum disease.
Contact Us
Sunrise Dental in Glendale, Arizona are experts in diagnosing and treating periodontal diseases. Please call us at 623-487-4870, if you have bleeding or swollen gums, if your teeth have shifted, or if you want a complete periodontal exam to find out the health of your gums. We will answer all of your questions and help you to achieve the best dental health possible.
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash