cosmetic dentistry

Common Surgical Procedures

Sometimes scaling and root planing does not help improve periodontal health. As a result periodontal surgery may be necessary. The most common surgical procedures are:

POCKET REDUCTION PROCEDURES

Pocket reduction procedures may be recommended by your periodontist when routine scaling and root planing deep periodontal pockets are not able to be cleaned. These types of procedures involve folding back the gum tissue and removing plaque and tartar. Due to periodontal disease, there may be some damage to the surfaces of the bone. In these cases, the bone is smoothened so that the gum tissue attaches to the healthy bone. The gum is the sutured and secured at its new position.

Eliminating existing bacteria and reducing pocket depth are important to prevent damage and progression of periodontal disease. This will help you maintain a healthy smile. Reducing pocket depth is important because deeper pockets can be difficult to clean, causing periodontal disease. This is why it is important to reduce pocket depth. A combination of reduced dental pockets and daily oral hygiene and professional maintenance can decrease the chances of periodontal disease and increase the possibility of keeping your natural teeth.

REGENERATIVE PROCEDURES

Bone Graft and Guided tissue Regeneration

Guided Tissue Regeneration – (GTR) is a procedure that enables bone and tissue to regrow around an endangered tooth or if the tooth is lost, to increase the amount of bone for implant placement. Prior to GTR therapy, your dental professional will recommend an appropriate oral hygiene program.

In order to stimulate new bone growth, a bone graft can be placed. This usually happens if the bone has some sort of defect; the graft is made of a combination of synthetic or natural bone. In order to prevent the gum tissue from creeping in between the bone and the tooth, a specialized membrane may sometimes be used. This will help regeneration of new bone and ligaments.