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Periodontal surgery is required for a variety of reasons. Any surgery would be initiated only after all signs of infection have been eliminated and you are involved in high-quality oral self-care. Periodontal surgery involves the contouring of the soft (gum) and hard (bone) tissues. The simplest type of periodontal surgery involves the reshaping and/or repositioning of the soft tissues only. The surgery may be required in order to eliminate or reduce problem pocket depths around one, several, or all teeth. The problem areas are usually places where you are having some difficulty keeping the area free of infection, plaque, and calculus.
It may also be necessary to reshape soft tissues to improve your appearance (cosmetic periodontal surgery) or to gain access for proper preparation and placement of any type of restorations. Different periodontal surgical procedures that do not involve the underlying bone can include correcting a frenum (muscle attachment) that is poorly positioned and grafting tissue to a new area where there is a deficient amount of periodontal tissue. These procedures may require some suturing of the gum tissue.
If you have experienced a more severe periodontal breakdown, your bone may have been affected by periodontal disease and may also require reshaping. This surgery is more extensive than soft tissue surgery. If your whole mouth has been affected, the surgery may be done in sections in separate appointments. Sutures and a periodontal dressing (intra oral bandage) are placed while healing occurs. A local anesthetic is used for these procedures. Postoperative discomfort will be alleviated with a prescription or over-the-counter medication.
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Once the healing has been completed, you will notice several things. Unless there was a graft placed or a frenum (muscle) cut, there will be soft tissue removed from around the teeth. This usually means that the teeth will look longer¾because more of the teeth will be exposed. From an appearance standpoint, this is not usually welcomed, but it may be unavoidable. If you have experienced bone loss, the tissue may have to be repositioned in order to have the correct distance between the bone and gum. The soft tissue change may be slight or significant. Before the periodontal procedure, we will discuss with you the expected appearance of the teeth after surgery. We will also discuss with you whether there are other methods that can be used to improve the appearance of your teeth after the tissues have healed. If you are being referred to a periodontal specialist for these procedures, the expected results will be explained to you there as well.
After surgery, you may experience increased sensitivity to hot and cold stimulation¾ice cream and cold or hot drinks, for example. The sensitivity may be slight or severe; it may be short-lived or last for months. There is no way to predict how you will respond. If the sensitivity is severe and lingering, there are several procedures that can be done to reduce or eliminate the problem. |
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| The question most often asked by patients who require surgery to correct the damage caused by periodontal disease is whether the disease can come back after the surgery is finished. The answer is, simply and clearly, yes. If the same circumstances that caused the periodontal disease reoccur after surgery, you can develop the disease again. You have already shown a compromised resistance to periodontal disease. However, if you do your part with the brushing and flossing as we have instructed you and maintain your scheduled dental hygiene re care visits at the office, the odds in your favor increase greatly. You reduce the chance that you will redevelop periodontal disease. Your responsibility is to understand the nature of your periodontal problem and brush, floss, and use the recommended periodontal aids effectively. |
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