Microsurgery

Periodontal disease, commonly called gum disease, is a serious issue that affects the health of your whole mouth. It starts with a barely noticeable infection of your gums, characterized by red, swollen gums that bleed when you brush and floss. Because this stage is often overlooked, it quickly worsens. The periodontal pockets that form as a result of swollen tissue pulling away from the teeth become a new home to oral bacteria, which attack the periodontal ligaments and the jawbone, along with continuing to attack the gums. Ultimately, periodontal disease can lead to gum recession, loose teeth, and tooth loss.

When periodontal disease has reached these more advanced stages, surgery is often required to stop its progression and to allow your mouth to heal. Many surgical procedures are invasive, which can make for an uncomfortable recovery. At Eastside Periodontics, we offer a less invasive option, reconstructive periodontal microsurgery.

Common Reconstructive Surgical Procedures

Periodontal reconstructive surgery is often performed to restore both the health of your mouth as well as its appearance. There are several surgical procedures that are often used.

• Osseous surgery. This surgery involves exposing the roots of the teeth and the jawbone to thoroughly clean all surfaces of your teeth. In some cases, the affected bone may also be reshaped.
• Gingivectomy. This is a surgical procedure that reshapes and corrects your gumline, restoring a more even, natural appearance.
• Crown lengthening. This procedure involves the removal of excess gum tissue to lengthen the appearance of your teeth. It is also done to reduce your risk for gum disease.
• Soft tissue grafting. In the event of gum recession and root exposure, soft tissue grafting restores the missing soft tissue, restoring your oral health as well as the appearance of your smile.
• Guided tissue regeneration. With this procedure, a barrier membrane is placed under the gums and over the bone. It is designed to aid in the regeneration of new bone so that dental implants can be placed.

What Exactly Is Microsurgery?

Many periodontal surgery procedures are quite invasive, causing a significant amount of trauma to your gum tissue. This trauma then results in an uncomfortable amount of pain and swelling, as well as bleeding, during your recovery. Recovery times, depending upon the surgery can last several weeks.

Reconstructive periodontal microsurgery provides a revolutionary alternative to traditional surgical procedures. Thanks to specially designed tools, we can perform a variety of different procedures with very minimal invasion, significantly reducing tissue trauma. Common microsurgery instruments include:

• Smaller scalpels. The traditional scalpel is 12 millimeters, while the microsurgical scalpel is only 3 millimeters.
• Smaller needles and suture thread. The needles used to suture gums in microsurgery are three times smaller than traditional needles. Suture threads are thinner but provide just as much strength.
• A dental microscope. This microscope allows us to see the smallest details in your mouth while we work. This helps to reduce the amount of tissue trauma you experience.

What Are The Benefits Of Microsurgery?

There are numerous benefits to using microsurgery to perform your reconstructive periodontal procedures.

• The procedure is more comfortable, for you as well as for us. With greater comfort, you are likely to be more at ease during your procedure.
• Better results. The dental microscope provides up to 20 times magnification, enabling us to see things in your mouth that might otherwise be missed by the naked eye. Greater accuracy means better results.
• Shorter recovery period. Less trauma to your gums means that you heal faster.

Reconstructive periodontal microsurgery provides a much less invasive alternative to traditional reconstructive periodontal surgical procedures. If the health and appearance of your mouth has been affected by periodontal disease, call Eastside Periodontics, today to find out if reconstructive periodontal microsurgery is right for you.