Advanced gum disease caused by tartar buildup and poor oral hygiene can pose a serious threat to your gums and the roots of your teeth. Periodontitis is an advanced form of gum disease that causes infection and inflammation. This can cause your teeth to recede from your gums, creating pockets that harbor bacteria near the roots of your teeth. Eventually it can even cause loss of material in the bones that anchor your teeth to your jaw.
There are three different surgical procedures that can help resolve the infection and repair the damaged gum tissue. If your gums have suffered severe damage and inflammation due to chronic infection of the gum tissues, you might require a gingivoplasty procedure.
The surgery is usually performed on an outpatient basis and often requires deep sedation. You will need someone to drive you and it’s a good idea to arrange for a friend or family member to help you for a day or two after the procedure to help you get back on your feet.
The procedure itself involves an oral surgeon removing the infected gum tissues. This also exposes the infected pockets in the gums allowing them to clean the affected area thoroughly. They will then take healthy gum tissue from another location or the roof of your mouth and graft it to the area where the infected gum tissue was removed.
Afterward the surgeon may prescribe antibiotics to help deal with any lingering systemic inflammation. They may also prescribe pain killers or anti-inflammatory medication to help deal with discomfort during recovery. Proper aftercare is absolutely essential for successful implantation of the grafted gum tissues.
If you have gum disease, or receding gums and you are concerned that you might need a procedure to resolve it, please feel free to call us at [phone] to schedule an appointment.
