Gum & Bone Surgery

Osseous Surgery (Pocket Reduction Surgery):

When routine deep cleaning (scaling and root planing) along with local antibiotics and lasers do not help to restore periodontal health, periodontal surgery may be advised. Reducing pocket depth and eliminating existing bacteria are important to prevent damage caused by the progression of periodontal disease and to help you maintain a healthy smile.

Bone Graft And Guided Tissue Regeneration:

If there is a defect in the bone, often times a bone graft can be placed to stimulate new bone formation. A combination of natural or synthetic bone can be used for regeneration.

What Is A Bone Graft Procedure?

When bone is destroyed by gum disease, it can no longer adequately support the teeth, eventually leading to total tooth loss. During this procedure, a prepared graft is placed in the areas where bone should be, which encourages the body to rebuild the areas lost to periodontal disease.

Periodontal bone grafting is not just for advanced periodontal disease patients. In fact, more and more patients are undergoing bone graft procedures to gain enough bone structure to support dental implants. Bone beneath the gums naturally deteriorates following tooth loss. Bone grafting rebuilds these ridges and makes it possible for many patients to get permanent tooth prosthetics instead of dentures.

Crown Lengthening:

This procedure involves the removal of soft gum tissue and/or bone to help expose more of the tooth’s structure. This usually is the case when a tooth breaks off at the gum line or a crown or filling falls out of a tooth due to decay. In this case, your dentist will need to expose more of the tooth structure and proceed with the use of a crown or a large filling.

Crown lengthening is a very common procedure used for functional and cosmetic purposes. In restorative dentistry, crown lengthening is used to prepare the teeth for dental restorations, such as caps and crowns, which require a sufficient amount of tooth structure above the gum line in order to support new restorations. Other patients may elect to undergo crown lengthening in an attempt to cosmetically treat a ‘gummy’ smile. Careful contouring can remove excess gum tissues surrounding the teeth, revealing a more aesthetically appealing smile.

Did You Know…

that crown lengthening is not only functionally and aesthetically efficient, but also beneficial to patient health? Gums that extend too far over a natural tooth can be more difficult to clean and keep free of pockets that harbor harmful bacteria. A lengthened crown is more hygienic and easier to clean, reducing the chances of gum disease later on. Untreated gum disease can advance, causing inflammation, bleeding, and even tooth loss.

Cosmetic Crown Lengthening And Gingivectomy:

This is used to treat a condition called a gummy smile and overgrow the gum tissues, which is when an unusually large amount of gum tissue shows around the upper teeth. This is surgically removed and reshaped to give a beautiful smile. This procedure can have a dental laser supplement.

Gingivitis and periodontitis are gum diseases caused by a proliferation of bacteria along and beneath the periodontal tissues. Gingivitis is the mildest form of periodontal disease, beginning with minor symptoms like gum inflammation. Although it is highly treatable, gingivitis is often left untreated and allowed to progress into an advanced stage of a periodontal disease known as periodontitis. Though still treatable, periodontitis requires more invasive treatments to prevent total tooth loss.

If you need gum and bone surgery, call Buford Dental in Buford, GA, today.