If you have struggled with gum disease, gingivitis or advanced periodontitis for a prolonged period of time, your dentist might recommend gum surgery. If left untreated, periodontitis can have very serious implications to your oral health and can even lead to tooth loss. In time, the infection in the gums can even cause systemic inflammation, which can have a negative affect other medical conditions.
Gingival flap surgery is one of the more common procedures for patients with moderate periodontitis. In many of these cases, the gums have receded from the base of the teeth, creating infected pockets in the gum tissue. In this outpatient procedure, the oral surgeon makes an incision in the gum. They then remove the infected material and stretch some of the healthy gum tissue back over the base of your teeth.
Gingivectomy procedures are used to treat more severe cases of periodontitis in people with a lot of gum tissue in their smile. In this outpatient procedure, the periodontist removes the infected gum tissue and removes any other infection.
Gingivoplasty procedures might be called for if the gums recede too far from the teeth. In this procedure, the periodontist will remove some gum tissue and then replace it with a gum graft taken from another location.
If you are concerned that your gum disease is advancing and you would like to get a better idea of your treatment options, please feel free to call us at 630-232-7400 to schedule an appointment.