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Periodontal Gum Treatment

Non-Surgical Gum Treatment

Scaling and root planing done by a dental professional is the main tool used to treat periodontal disease. Chlorhexidine is a part of a professional treatment program which helps treat swelling and bleeding due to gingivitis, an early, reversible stage of gum disease. It can be prescribed by your dentist as a home rinse or used via irrigation during cleaning with your dental professional.

Surgical Gum Treatments

Flap Surgery

In severe cases scaling and root planning is used in conjunction with flap surgery to treat periodontal disease. During the procedure the gums are folded back temporarily allowing the dentist to reach the root of the tooth and bone. This procedure is preformed if there is infection remaining deep within the pockets of the gums. The surgery allows the dentist to remove the infection and clean the pockets properly.

After surgery you might experience some soreness however the soreness can be tolerated well with some mild pain medication.

Procedure:

  1. The dentist first makes you comfortable by numbing the site.
  2. Next they gently separate the gums from the root of the tooth which creates a flap giving easy access to the infected area.
  3. Next they remove any built up tarter and plaque with scaling and root planning.
  4. Once the procedure is complete the gums are placed back against the teeth and stitched into place.

Grafting

Gum grafting is used when the gums have receded from the tooth. In a healthy mouth you will see that the gums cover the entire root of a tooth. However, with periodontal disease and excessive brushing the gums will loosen from the tooth creating large pockets that bacteria can fill. The bacteria can then grown and reach the root creating a large number of health and dental problems. A gum graft is used to tighten the gums back against the teeth to restore the gum line

Procedure:

  1. The dentist first makes you comfortable by numbing the site.
  2. The grafted skin is then taken from another site in the mouth.
  3. The gums are gently separated from the tooth which creates a flap.
  4. Then root planing and scaling is performed to clean out all tarter and plaque.
  5. Once the site is clean the graft is placed and stitched.

Gingivectomy

Healthy gums are tight against the neck of the teeth and important for a healthy smile. Sometimes problems can develop such as the gums extend over the front part of the teeth and the natural balance between the length of the teeth and the height of the gums is lost. Therefore a gum reduction is required.

Procedure:

  1. The dentist first makes you comfortable by numbing the site.
  2. Then a small incision is made and the excess gum is removed.
  3. Finally stitches are placed if needed.
  4. After a couple of weeks the swelling will go down and you will be left with a natural looking smile.

Crown Lengthening

Crown lengthening is a minor surgical procedure that is an effective way to save a tooth that otherwise might be lost. Often, if a tooth is broken down from decay an extraction is done but now with crown lengthening you can save the tooth. During crown lengthening more of the tooth is exposed to create a larger surface to place a crown. The crown will then protect the tooth.

Procedure:

  1. The dentist first makes you comfortable by numbing the site.
  2. Next, they gently separate the gums from the root of the tooth which creates a flap giving easy access to reshape and sculpt the bone surrounding your tooth.  
  3. Once the procedure is complete the gums are placed back against the teeth and stitched into place.
  4. After a couple of months a crown is placed to protect and cover the damaged tooth.

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