Gum disease is an inflammation of the gums and can progress to damage the bone that supports and surrounds your teeth. Gum disease can be of three stages depending on how severe the condition is: gingivitis, periodontitis, and advanced periodontitis. It can be painless and therefore you have to be aware of the other symptoms.
- Loose teeth
- Persistent bad taste in the mouth or bad breath
- Red, swollen, tender or bleeding gums
- Puss surrounding the gums and teeth
- Gums which recede and move away from the tooth.
The National Institute of health reports that over 80% of the adults in the US have some kind of periodontal disease. So for complicated situations of these gum diseases, surgeries are recommended. Controlling gum disease and restoring oral health and appearance to tooth supporting bones and damaged gums requires aggressive treatment. This is when surgeries are recommended by your doctor. Periodontal surgery can treat moderate to advanced disease. There are many types of surgeries which your dentist will recommend if you develop any kind of gum disease. The most common cause is the presence of excessive bacteria which builds up in your mouth creating plaque. Certain factors, including chronic illness and medications, can make a person more susceptible to periodontal disease even though he or she follows a thorough oral care routine.
If the infection has caused a deep periodontal pocket or has settled beyond the range of manual scalars, then gum surgery is very much required to access, clean and repair the affected areas. The different types of gum surgery are:
- Gingivectomy – In this process, periodontists will conduct a procedure to remove the excess gum tissue which might be overgrown on the teeth to provide a better space to clean the teeth. The dentists would numb the gum tissue and would cut and eliminate the excess tissue which is present in the mouth.
- Gingival flap surgery – Many of the patients who have been diagnosed with advanced periodontitis will have this procedure recommended. The doctor cuts the gum tissue in order to separate it from the teeth and conduct a thorough deep cleaning using an ultrasonic scaling device with hand instruments to remove plaque, tartar, and biofilm below the periodontal pockets. The gums are then sutured back in place.
- Gingivoplasty – This procedure is used to reshape the healthy gum tissue around the teeth in order to make them look better. A gingivoplasty can be done in a situation where the person has tooth recession where the gum is being pushed away from the teeth. So in this condition, the tissue can be taken from the roof of the mouth and then stitch into the place on either side of the tooth.
Proper care must be given to your teeth and gum tissue after the surgery is done. Your dentist will provide you the best ways to prevent further injury or infection in the affected areas.