Gingivectomy to Treat Periodontal Disease

Gingivectomy is one of the most popular treatment methods for periodontal disease. There are only a handful of treatment methods that can reverse the effects of periodontal disease. This procedure is one of them. It can bring the smile back to your face, making you more confident than ever before. Anyone facing the possibility of gum diseases can look into gingivectomy as a possible solution.

What is a gingivectomy?

A periodontist does a gingivectomy to address advanced stages of gum diseases. This happens when plaque builds up under the pockets of the gums. The plaque and bacteria enter the root of the tooth and cause periodontal disease. The dentist removes the diseased gum tissue and prevents more serious dental problems.

What does gingivectomy treat?

The periodontist will do a couple of tests before advising a gingivectomy. The procedure is not always the best method to treat gum diseases. It would be better for patients if they can visit the dentist as soon as the gum problems become apparent. Here are the other situations that require a gingivectomy:

• People who have advanced gum disease
• Cosmetic reasons if the tooth is already exposed
• People with gummy smiles (gums are too prominent)

People with advanced gum disease need gingivectomy if antibiotics and root planing and scaling cannot treat them. For the procedure to be successful, they should have generally healthy teeth. Their periodontal diseases should not have progressed yet to the point of needing more invasive procedures. Otherwise, the procedure may not be advisable anymore.

Gingivectomy is also done for cosmetic reasons. An exposed tooth is not only attractive to bacteria, but it also affects a person’s looks. The procedure is called gum lift or crown lengthening. The aim is to prevent people from having gummy smiles, which means a lot of the gum is showing.

Understanding periodontal disease

Most people who suffer from a periodontal disease need to undergo a gingivectomy. Gum diseases happen when the bacteria in the mouth collect and multiply to form a plaque. Then, the plaque infects the teeth and adjacent gingival, which can be inflamed. This is the early form of gum disease called gingivitis.

The gums will bleed, and the area between the tooth and gum tissue deepens when the gingivitis gets more inflamed. That deepening forms a periodontal pocket that starts a periodontal disease. At this point, home care such as brushing and flossing the teeth will not work anymore. Patients will need to visit a periodontist. The dentist will look under the gumline and the infected periodontal pocket.

How well does gingivectomy work?

Most patients can return to normal life after a month of the procedure. The patients’ gums will become pink and healthy again if they follow proper dental and oral care. However, patients still have to visit the dentist every three months for follow-up checkups. After that, patients will only need to visit twice a year for regular dental cleaning.