Gingiva is the dental term for your gums. Gingivectomy refers to the removal of gum tissue (ectomy = removal, or to cut), while the term gingivoplasty deals with the esthetic recontouring of gum tissue around your teeth. When teeth appear too short, small, or wide, these two procedures are treatment options. Once the tissue has healed, your smile should display a more esthetic proportion of tooth dimension to gum tissue.

Gingivectomy and Gingivoplasty

In cases of advanced or severe periodontal disease (gum disease), when non- surgical methods such a scaling and root planing have been unsuccessful, your dentist may perform a gingivectomy or periodontal flap surgery.

Procedure

In this procedure, your dentist will reshape the unhealthy gum tissue in order to reduce periodontal pocket size. Once a pocket has reached a depth of over 3 mm it is no longer hygienically maintainable (with brushing and flossing). By removing some of the gum tissue, your dentist will reduce these pockets down to a maintainable depth. As a result, the bacteria will no longer have a suitable environment in which to grow, and your gums will hopefully return to a state of health.

Flap Surgery

In advanced periodontal disease, when scaling and root planing have proved unsuccessful in reducing pocket depth, or when bone and attachment loss dictates surgical correction, periodontal flap surgery may be indicated.

Flap surgery is performed under local anesthesia; small incisions are made in the gum, to provide your dentist with visual access to the tooth and bone. All affected surfaces can be visualized and effectively cleaned. Periodontal disease causes bone loss, thus the surrounding alveolar bone may require recontouring to ensure proper healing. Sutures are placed, completing the procedure. Typically, the procedure requires between 1 to 2 hours. Only one or two quadrants are usually performed per visit (there are four quadrants of teeth in the mouth). Your sutures will remain in place for approximately one week. Pain medication and antibiotics are usually prescribed.

The information contained in this web site is for the sole purpose of identifying dental care or treatment which may be available from a qualified dentist.
This web site does not offer any form of medical or dental advice.
Simon W. Rosenberg, D.M.D., does not represent, warrant or guarantee that
 any specific treatment is appropriate to your present or future dental needs.
Please contact a dentist or hospital if you are experiencing dental pain
or have a dental emergency.
The rights to the names of products or services mentioned are the property of their respective registered trademark owners.

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for dental treatments of $1,000 to $25,000.

(Ask about the no-interest-same-as-cash options --
For treatment under $1000 there's a no interest for 90 days. There’s no interest for one year if treatment is over $1000.)

Offering these Healthcare Finance Plans allows us to make the smile you've always wanted affordable.

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 Dr. Simon W. Rosenberg