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Periodontics
Periodontal Surgery
If you're diagnosed with periodontal disease, your periodontist
may recommend periodontal surgery. Periodontal surgery is necessary
when your periodontist determines that the tissue around your teeth
is unhealthy and cannot be repaired with non-surgical treatment.
Following are the four types of surgical treatments most commonly
prescribed:
- Pocket Reduction Procedures
- Regenerative Procedures
- Crown Lengthening
- Soft Tissue Grafts
The choice of surgical technique depends on the type and severity
of the disease and other conditions in your mouth.
There are some of the reasons why surgery might be necessary:
To clean and reduce periodontal pockets
As you probably have learned by now, the main cause of periodontal
disease is plaque, a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms
on your teeth. If the plaque is not removed thoroughly, toxins or
poisons produced by bacteria in the plaque irritate the gums and
destroy supporting tissues around the teeth, forming pockets. Eventually
the plaque hardens into a rough deposit called calculus or tartar.
Over time, as more plaque and calculus build up, the gums continue
to pull away from the teeth. Gum and bone attachment to the teeth
are lost and pockets deepen. Affected teeth can become loose and
eventually may be lost.
You cannot keep deep pockets clean and free of plaque just by brushing
and flossing alone. The pockets also may be too deep even for your
dentist or hygienist to clean. Therefore, your periodontist may
decide that surgery is necessary to remove plaque and calculus below
the gumline. Your periodontist will reduce the pockets and position
the gums to minimize areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide.
To reshape damaged bone
If bone loss has occurred, your periodontist might perform osseous
(bone) surgery. This is done to smooth the uneven or irregular surface
of the damaged bone and promote healing of the periodontal pocket.
To regenerate of "regrow" tissue
If the disease goes untreated, damage to gum and bone attachment
to the teeth will continue. Plaque accumulates along the roots of
the teeth, resulting in infection that may cause more serious damage
to the bone supporting the teeth.
Your periodontist may recommend surgical procedures to regenerate
bone and supporting tissues previously lost to the disease. These
techniques restore and strengthen the support of the teeth so they
can function longer. In fact, there are many new technologies available
to enhance bone regeneration. You may want to talk with your periodontist
about these.
To expose more of the tooth to make dental repair possible
When a tooth is decayed or broken below the gumline, periodontal
surgery might be needed to adjust the gum and bone level to expose
more of the tooth so it can be repaired.
To improve appearance
In certain instances, appearance can be improved with periodontal
surgery. For example, a "toothy" smile caused by gum recession
or shrinkage often can be corrected by soft tissue grafting techniques.
Soft tissue grafting also helps prevent further gum recession. Likewise
teeth can be made to look longer for a patient with a "gummy"
smile. These are just two examples of how periodontal surgery can
improve your appearance.
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