Periodontal surgery is a necessary treatment for many patients suffering from periodontitis, the chronic phase of periodontal or gum disease.
The periodontal disease It is caused by the accumulation of dental plaque. If this plaque is not properly removed by brushing, it begins to form tartar. This phase is called gingivitis and is characterized by inflammation and bleeding of the gum.
When tartar has accumulated for a long time, the gum separates from the tooth, forming the periodontal pocket and
gradually begins to lose the bone that supports the tooth. At this stage it is no longer called gingivitis and evolves to become periodontitis.
In the most advanced cases of this disease, the periodontal pockets are very deep (greater than 6 millimeters) and cannot
be removed with a toothbrush. curettage but a surgical intervention is necessary to eliminate them.
What are the consequences of periodontal disease?
Gingivitis manifests itself with inflammation, redness and bleeding of the gums. However, it is easy to treat since dental cleaning or prophylaxis is enough to reverse it.
For her part, the periodontitis It is the result of gingivitis that has not been treated in time and is the most serious phase of periodontal disease. It directly damages the root of the tooth, causes gum retraction and can cause teeth to fall out.
How is periodontal disease diagnosed?
When a patient presents symptoms of periodontal disease, the periodontist performs a oral examination to confirm it and know in what phase it is.
To do this, a dental x-ray is taken from the patient and a probe is carried out, which consists of measuring the depth of the tartar accumulated under the gums.
With the results obtained, the dental specialist can assess the degree of affectation of the gums and the bone loss of each dental piece.
How is periodontal surgery done?
In the intervention, the periodontist removes a piece of gum tissue or flap with a scalpel in order to eliminate the pockets that have accumulated in the periodontal groove.
Using an ultrasonic tip and curettes, the periodontist performs a deep cleaning and scaling, which removes tartar, plaque,
and film under periodontal pockets. The most normal thing, in patients with severe periodontitis, is that this procedure is
necessary to perform it in the tissues that surround several teeth.
If there is significant damage to bone tissue, the dental specialist can also perform small bone grafts and membranewhich help the patient to recover lost bone and improve the quality of the tissue that supports their teeth.
After carrying out the cleaning and the procedures that are required in each case, the periodontist replaces the fragment of the patient’s gum that had been removed by means of sutures.
How is the postoperative?
After the surgery, the gum may bleed slightly, however, there is no reason to worry as the bleeding will gradually disappear.
It is also normal for the intervened area to become inflamed since it depends on the inflammatory response of each patient,
the type of surgery and its extension.
Normally the inflammatory process lasts for four days, in which the periodontist prescribes anti-inflammatories and recommends using ice in the area where the surgery was performed.
It is recommended that the day after surgery avoid hot, acidic and irritating foods, as well as alcoholic beverages; semi-solid foods with little fat can be ingested, taking care not to chew on the side of the intervened area.
You can eat normally on the second day, but foods that crumble, such as fried foods, popcorn, etc., should be avoided.
During the four days after surgery, brushing should be done avoiding the operated area. After these days and for two weeks, brushing is normally done with a surgical brush and using chlorhexidine mouthwash.
Importance of review appointments Periodontal surgery
Periodontitis is a chronic condition, so these surgical interventions are sometimes essential to control it, but they do not cure it.
For adequate control of periodontal disease, it is necessary for the patient to attend regular check-up appointments,
as well as extreme oral hygiene with daily brushing and the use of mouthwashes.
If you want to know more about this procedure, do not hesitate to contact us through our different means of contact.
Explanatory note: the information provided in this blog is for informational purposes and should not be taken as a means of diagnosis or treatment.