Periodontics
What is a Periodontics?
Surgical Periodontal
Periodontal flap surgery is used to treat gum disease (Periodontitis). It may be recommended for people with moderate or advanced Periodontitis, especially if the initial, non-surgical treatment (Scaling and Root planing) has not eliminated the gum infection. It may also be done in conjunction with another procedure known as osseous (bone) surgery.
Your bone and gum tissue should fit snugly around your teeth like a turtleneck around your neck. When you have periodontal disease, this supporting tissue and bone is destroyed, forming “pockets” around the teeth.
Over time, these pockets become deeper, providing a larger space for bacteria to live. As bacteria develop around the teeth, they can accumulate and advance under the gum tissue. These deep pockets collect even more bacteria, resulting in further bone and tissue loss. Eventually, if too much bone is lost, the teeth will need to be extracted.
Your periodontist has measured the depth of your pocket(s). A periodontal pocket reduction procedure has been recommended because you have pockets that are too deep to clean with daily at-home oral hygiene and a professional care routine. Reducing pocket depth and eliminating existing bacteria are important to prevent damage caused by the progression of periodontal disease.
Eliminating bacteria alone may not be sufficient to prevent disease recurrence. Deeper pockets are more difficult for you and your dental care professional to clean, so it’s important for you to reduce them. Reduced pockets and a combination of daily oral hygiene and professional maintenance care increase your chances of keeping your natural teeth – and decrease the chance of serious health problems associated with periodontal disease.
