Periodontal surgery

For individuals who are suffering from various gum diseases there are many options for treatment.

The human mouth is home to a multitude of bacteria. In fact, there are often over twenty-two or more forms of bacteria in your mouth at a given time. Plaque is a harmful film that forms over your teeth when you do not brush them enough. If individuals do not properly brush their teeth on a daily basis, the plaque building up on their teeth can harden and become tartar which can become harmful to teeth. Tartar buildup can ultimately lead to gingivitis, when it builds up in your gums. This tartar build-up leads to the inflammation and infection of gums that is gingivitis. If this disorder is not treated it can quickly develop into periodontitis, which results from a deepening of the bacteria in the gums. After a certain amount of time, there is only one thing that can prevent the further spread of periodontitis: periodontal surgery.

If a bacterium from tartar continues to penetrate the gums, pockets form between the gums and the teeth and deepen the infection of the mouth. These conditions only worsen if not treated, and eventually there is a risk of teeth rotting or falling out of the mouth. Eventually, the condition becomes so bad that the only option for the curing of the disease becomes periodontal surgery. If periodontal surgery is not performed to reduce these pockets, the teeth will loosen and eventually fall out. Pocket and inflammation reduction is one form of periodontal surgery that prevents the loss of teeth and that fills in the pockets formed in the gums.

During these pocket reduction surgeries, surgeons first pull back the gum line, exposing the pockets between the teeth and gums, and flush out the bacteria. More often than not the surgeon must do painful scraping and sanding on the teeth to remove the tartar that has built up on the teeth over time. Once finished, the last part of this periodontal procedure generally involves an antimicrobial treatment to eliminate any remaining bacteria. Usually, this is the only periodontal surgery necessary to prevent further decay and oral health can be maintained by consistent brushing of the teeth.

Sometimes the gums and bones underneath the gums have already decayed and deteriorated to the point that pocket reduction surgery will not due. In this case, a regeneration surgery must be performed. This procedure actually regenerates and reforms the gum and bone tissue. This procedure often involves extensive bone and skin grafting to promote the re-growth of gum tissue.

Of course all of these procedures can be avoided with good and constant oral care. This means brushing and flossing on a regular basis to prevent the buildup of plaque and tartar. It is important that individuals remain this kind of health in order to prevent these expensive and painful diseases from happening to them. Of course, the best cure is prevention, so always take good care of your mouth.