Surgery is not always the first option for managing health complications. But if your health issue will not respond to conservative treatments, surgery can be the best option to manage your symptoms. When enduring gum disease, oral health experts like Daniel Wank DDS might have few options when you do not respond to conservative treatments but recommend periodontal surgery. They will evaluate your symptoms like receding gums, pain when chewing or biting, loose teeth, deep pockets between your gums and teeth, and red, swollen, or bleeding gums to recommend surgery. Here is what you need to know about the treatment.
Periodontal Surgery Explained
Periodontal surgery is a combination of several procedures that can be used to manage symptoms of chronic gum disease. It can help eliminate bacteria from beneath your gums, prevent the worsening of a harmful infection, and reshape your teeth’s supporting bones. Your dentist can also recommend the treatment if you are experiencing bad breath despite your good oral hygiene.
Reasons for Periodontal Surgery
The main reason why your dentist can recommend periodontal surgery is gum disease. While gingivitis can respond to nonsurgical treatments, periodontitis could cause inflammation and damage your bone and gum tissue, and your treatment option might include gum surgery. The procedure can help prevent tooth loss, regrow your damaged bone and gum tissue, reshape the jawbone, and minimize the gaps between your teeth. It helps eliminate bacterial growth eliminating the risk of severe infection.
But some people also seek gum surgery for other purposes. If you have a gummy smile affecting your confidence, you might need the surgery as a cosmetic treatment. The procedures help expose more of the tooth to improve your smile rather than when the gums cover most of your tooth.
Periodontal Surgery Procedures
As mentioned earlier, periodontal surgery covers several surgical interventions. The type of procedure you get depends on the severity of your gum disease and your cosmetic goals. Your provider can recommend:
Gingival Flap surgery to separate your gums from the teeth for deep cleaning. Your provider will then stitch the gums back to their position, and bone reshaping can also be necessary during this procedure.
Gingivectomy to remove overgrown and excess gum tissue to improve your aesthetics. The gums could cover too much of your teeth, affecting your smile or making it difficult to clean your teeth.
Gingivoplasty to reshape your healthy gum tissue for more appealing aesthetics. Your provider can also combine this procedure with a gum graft.
Gum Graft to correct receding gums. Your provider collects tissue from elsewhere in your mouth and stitches it into the side of your exposed teeth. This evens your gum line and minimizes sensitivity.
Gum Regeneration to fold back the gum tissue as bacteria is removed. Your provider will insert tissue, membranes, or grafts stimulating proteins to help the gum regenerate.
What You Can Expect
Before your surgery, your provider will clean the treatment area and apply local anesthesia to numb it. General anesthesia can also be used in some cases. Incisions are made along the gum line, and your provider will stitch back the tissue after performing the specific procedure you need.
Your recovery will depend on the type of procedure you receive. But you will probably be back for a checkup after about 1-2 weeks. Follow post-op instructions given by your provider strictly for a smooth recovery.
If you think you might benefit from periodontal surgery, Dr. Wank can confirm it. You can call or book your consultation appointment online to understand more about the treatment and learn if you are a good candidate.
