Periodontal Surgery Risks, Benefits and Alternatives
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Periodontal Surgery Risks, Benefits and Alternatives
Introduction:
We have compiled this article on “Periodontal Surgery Risks, Benefits, and Alternatives“. The reference links are at the bottom of the article.
[1]If you have a serious gum infection, known as periodontal disease, your dentist might recommend surgery. This procedure can:
- Remove bacteria from beneath your gums
- Make it easier to clean your teeth
- Reshape the bones that support your teeth
- Prevent future gum damage
Procedure
A dentist or periodontist performs the surgery. There are different types of surgical options. Your doctor will determine what type of surgery or surgeries are appropriate for your specific condition.
Flap Surgery
With this common procedure, surgeons make small cuts in your gum and lift a section of tissue back. Then, they remove tartar and bacteria from your tooth and from under your gums. The gums are sutured back, so the tissue fits firmly around your teeth. Once you heal, it will be easier to clean areas on your teeth and gums.
Bone Grafting
If gum disease has damaged the bone surrounding your tooth root, your dentist might have to replace it with a graft. The bone graft can be made from small parts of your own bone, a synthetic bone, or donated bone. This procedure helps prevent tooth loss and may help promote natural bone regrowth.
Guided Tissue Regeneration
This technique involves placing a small piece of material between your bone and gum tissue to allow the bone to regrow.
Soft Tissue Grafts
When gums recede, a graft can help restore some of the tissue you lost. Dentists remove a small piece of tissue from the roof of your mouth or use donor tissue to attach to the areas where tissue is sparse or missing.
Proteins
Sometimes, surgeons apply a gel that contains special proteins to the diseased tooth root. This can encourage healthy bone and tissue growth.
[2]What Conditions Can Gum Surgery Treat?
Gum diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis may require surgical treatment.
Gingivitis is a mild form of gum disease that can cause gum redness, swelling, and bleeding. Most often, gingivitis occurs due to poor oral hygiene, plaque, and tartar buildup. Professional treatment can reverse the condition.
Periodontitis is a more severe form of gum disease in which gingivitis has worsened and advanced, leading to an inflammatory response that destroys bone and tissues.
During this inflammatory process, the gums begin to separate from the teeth. This causes spaces called pockets to develop, which in turn trap bacteria and lead to infection.
As a result, tooth loss and bone damage can occur.
What Happens During Surgery?
Depending on the type of procedure, a range of things may take place.
Most gum surgery procedures take around 2 hours to complete.
In some cases, the surgery will require a person to be asleep or partially asleep during the procedure. Other times, the surgery only involves the use of a local anesthetic to numb the gums. The injection of the numbing medication can be mildly uncomfortable.
During the procedure, the dental surgeon uses sterile equipment, including instruments and drapes, to lower the risk of infection.
After making small incisions or cuts along the gum line, the dentist will lift the gums away from the teeth. This allows the dentist to see the roots better so that they can remove and clean away any tartar, plaque, or infection.
Following this deep cleaning, the dental surgeon can perform other procedures, such as gum reshaping, bone regeneration procedures, or other planned procedures.
Once the planned dental surgery is complete, the surgeon will stitch the gums back into place, using fine thread stitches. The dentist will remove the stitches 7 to 10 days after surgery.
Conclusion:
Thank you for reading this article, and check back frequently for other dental health articles. Should you have any questions, please contact Apple Tree Dental today!
Article compiled by Apple Tree Dental
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