Surgical and Non-Surgical Treatment Options for Gum Disease

Gum disease is medically known as periodontitis or periodontal disease, which is the infection of the gums and eventually causes deterioration of the bone. The treatment for the disease would be prescribed according to the patient’s overall health, response to prior therapies, and the severity of the gum disease.

Periodontal disease is prevalent due to poor overall dental hygiene though preventable through routine brushing, flossing, and dental checkups. 

With gum disease, non-surgical or surgical methods may be used as per the need of the condition. An expert such as Hinna Chaudhry, DMD, can help correct the infection and prevent bone degradation.

The non-surgical methods include the following:

• Scaling and Root Planing- Scaling involves cleaning all tartar and plaque above and below the gum line under the administration of a local anesthetic. The rough spots of the tooth are smoothened out to remove the bacteria, which will allow the teeth to reattach themselves to the bone. This procedure is done if there is tartar present under the gums.

• Dental Cleaning- A dental hygienist will carry out the standard procedure to clean your teeth for eliminating all possible plaque and tartar. It isn’t an active measure to help treat but rather is a very effective way of preventing gum disease.

The surgical approach would involve:

• Bone Graft- In case the underlying bone is destroyed, bone either from the patient itself, artificially made or donated, is used as a base to help in the regrowth of the bone to help restore teeth stability.  

• Flap Surgery- This procedure involves cleaning tartar by lifting the gums, while in other cases, irregular or deformed bones are made smooth to prevent bacterial growth. The gums are then placed back to fit around the tooth snugly. 

• Bone Surgery- Any craters due to bone loss can be smoothed out via bone surgery. After a flap surgery, the recesses are reshaped, making it difficult for bacteria to multiply.

• Soft Tissue Grafts- Tissue grafting involves taking tissue at the roof of the mouth and is stitched in the areas where the gums have receded or become thin. 

• Guided Tissue Regeneration- This procedure stimulates the growth of bone and gum in the event of the supporting bone getting destroyed. Usually done with flap surgery, a mesh-like structure is inserted between the bone and gums, preventing the tissue from growing into the area where the bone is supposed to grow.