Periodontal Surgical Treatment

For moderate to severe cases of periodontal disease, there are a range of standard surgical interventions to achieve periodontal health and the best mouth reconstruction results possible.  We work closely with your general dentist and dental prothsodontists to help ensure this outcome. Procedures include:

Osseous Surgery

This type of procedure may be performed when you have a pocket around a tooth (or teeth) that has not responded to other treatments. It is done in an effort to help you retain the tooth and create an environment that is easier for you to keep clean.  The affected bone is smoothed and reshaped to create a shallow pocket that makes it more difficult for bacteria to survive.  A thorough cleaning of the root surface is also performed. These steps make it harder for bacteria to multiply, and make it easier for the body to work toward self-repair.

Periodontal Regeneration and Emdogain

Periodontal regeneration is the restoration of lost supporting tissues including bone, cementum (outer layer of the root surface), and periodontal ligaments.  In cases of periodontal bony defects, guided tissue regeneration using a combination of bone particles and a barrier membrane, along with agents such as growth factors and matrix-derived proteins (emdogain), can provide substantial bone fill and regeneration around these periodontal defects.

Emdogain is an easy-to-apply, protein-based gel that is designed to promote predictable regeneration of lost periodontal hard and soft tissues caused by periodontitis, helping to save and preserve the tooth. It encourages the regrowth of cementum, periodontal ligaments and alveolar bone.  It is often used in conjunction with other surgical and non-surgical treatments.

Crown Lengthening

Crown lengthening is performed to expose more bone and remove an excess of tissue around a tooth, to allow a crown to be placed on more solid tooth structure, and to prevent future inflammation and pocket formation in the affected area.  In either case the desired area is treated with local anesthesia. This procedure may also be performed for aesthetic reasons (cosmetic surgery) in cases of “gummy smile,” for example.