Periodontal Flap Surgery
, which is also called pocket depth reduction,
your periodontist folds the gum back away from the tooth. Periodontal Flap surgery is
recommended in many cases where pocketing depths have reached a level that
makes maintenance or cleansing difficult.
It is often associated with areas of bone loss and inflammation of the gum tissue
around the teeth.
Periodontal flap surgery is sometimes necessary to treat advanced periodontal disease
if scaling and
root planing proves ineffective. Deep pocketing along with underlying bone defects can
prevent the gum tissues from fully healing and staying healthy. The procedure involves the loosening
of the gums from around the teeth in order to fully expose and the clean the parts of the teeth which
were previously covered by the gums.
when scaling and root planing have been unsuccessful in eliminating the entire pocket of decay,
or when there has been bone loss that needs to be surgically corrected,
then a dentist may perform periodontal flap surgery. In flap surgery, under local anesthesia,
small incisions are made in the gum, so that it can be lifted back to expose the tooth and bone.
The entire area is carefully cleaned and all tarter and infected granulation tissue are removed and the bone is examined.
Because periodontal disease causes bone loss, often the bone will need to be re-contoured
in order for the gum to heal properly.
After scraping away the bacteria-laden plaque and
tartar, the dentist removes diseased tissue and smoothes the surface
of damaged bones. Then the dentist sews the tissue back into place.
Removing or smoothing damaged tissue allows the gum tissue to better
reattach to healthy bone.
