You may need surgery for severe gum disease (periodontitis) if it cannot be cured with antibiotics or root planing and scaling. Types of surgery include:
- Gingivectomy: - A gingivectomy removes and reshapes loose, diseased gum tissue to get rid of pockets between the teeth and gums.
- Flap procedure :- A flap procedure cleans the roots of a tooth and repairs bone damage caused by gum disease.
- Tooth removal (extraction):- If gum disease has loosened or severely damaged a tooth, your dentist may need to remove the tooth. If the procedure is complicated or risky, an oral or maxillofacial surgeon may do the extraction.
Other procedures may be needed to repair badly damaged gums:
- A graft moves healthy gum tissue from one part of the mouth to another.
- Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) places a special lining between the gums and bone. The lining helps bone grow back and helps the gums reattach to the bone.
