Can you avoid gum surgery?

Practicing good oral hygiene means brushing your teeth at least twice a day to ensure plaque removal from your teeth and gums. It is also recommended that you floss after meals. This will keep food particles from remaining between your teeth, causing harmful bacteria to begin growing.

Is gum surgery necessary?

Gum surgery may be necessary for anyone who is suffering from gum disease. This is a common and very serious condition. In fact, most adults will suffer from some form of gingivitis during their lifetime. The severity of the condition will determine what steps one can take to alleviate it.

What happens if you don't get gum surgery?

As the gums recede, they form pockets between the tooth and the gums, which become a breeding ground for bacteria buildup. Over time, the bacteria hardens into plaque and tartar, putting you at risk for infections, tooth decay, and advanced gum disease.

How do you get rid of gum pockets without surgery?

Besides better brushing and flossing, root planing and scaling is the best way to remove plaque buildup below the gum line. This non-surgical therapy shrinks your gum pockets, closing gaps between your teeth and gums--the very place bacteria hide to do the most damage to your smile.

Can deep gum pockets be reversed?

Periodontal pockets are a symptom of periodontitis (gum disease), a serious oral infection. Periodontal pockets can be treated and reversed with good oral hygiene or with dental treatment.

Periodontal Disease: How to Avoid Needing Gum Surgery

When does gum recession require surgery?

Surgical correction of a gingival recession is often considered when (1) a patient raises a concern about esthetics or tooth hypersensitivity, (2) there is active gingival recession, and (3) orthodontic/restorative treatment will be implemented on a tooth with presence of predisposing factors.

Can periodontitis be cured without surgery?

Often, nonsurgical treatment is enough to control a periodontal infection, restore oral tissues to good health, and tighten loose teeth. At that point, keeping up your oral hygiene routine at home and having regular checkups and cleanings here at the dental office will give you the best chance to remain disease-free.

Why is gum grafting necessary?

Gum grafts are commonly needed by patients with gingival recession, or receding gums, to preserve their oral health. In cases of gingival recession, a gum graft may be needed to cover the exposed teeth roots and correct pockets between the teeth and the gums.

Does periodontal disease ever go away?

Can you reverse periodontal disease? The damage done by gingivitis can often be reversed by ridding your gums of the infection. Periodontitis is more advanced, however, and often does damage to your teeth and gums that's impossible to reverse without extensive dental treatments.

What is the success rate of gum grafting?

Gum grafting surgeries have a success rate of up to 90%. Besides, with local anesthesia, you should not experience any pain during your treatment. Afterward, your dentist will prescribe pain medication to help you manage your soreness after the numbing wears off.

How painful is a gum graft?

The actual gum grafting procedure is painless. This is because a local anesthetic is used to numb the affected area. A periodontist, who is a dental specialist in gum disease and the gums, typically performs this procedure. You may instead feel some movement or pressure as your periodontist performs the procedure.

Do gums grow back?

While your gums won't grow back on their own, surgical treatment can be used to replace the missing tissue, and restore both your appearance and your oral health. Gum grafting involves taking soft tissue from another part of the mouth and grafting it onto your gums.

Can my teeth be saved if I have periodontal disease?

Saving teeth from periodontal disease is possible if you detect the signs and symptoms early or regularly visit your dentist for cleanings and exams. Let the condition progress unhindered, and tooth loss should be considered as an eventuality.

What is Stage 4 periodontal disease?

In stage four the periodontal disease has taken a firm hold. Your gums will be visibly receding, exposing tender tooth enamel which can be easily damaged and then start to decay. The hidden damage to your jawbone will start to become noticeable as your teeth start to loosen, becoming wobbly or even moving position.

Can you stop periodontal disease from getting worse?

Advanced gum disease, also called periodontal disease, cannot be reversed. However, our dentists are able to mitigate the damaging effects of periodontal disease through scaling and root planing. Periodontal treatment can help you avoid some of the more serious side effects, such as receding gums and tooth loss.

Is gum graft surgery worth it?

Gum grafting is a highly safe and effective procedure; it has been tested and proven successful in treating countless cases of receding and thinning gums due to aggressive brushing and gum disease. Still, complications and infections may occur, especially without proper post-op care.

Is grafting necessary?

Do I Need a Bone Graft After Tooth Extraction? A bone graft is usually necessary after a tooth extraction since the bone can start to melt away. This can cause your facial features to sag, so a bone graft can help provide needed structure and support.

How can I stop my gums receding?

How Can I Prevent Gum Recession? The best way to prevent gum recession is to take good care of your mouth. Brush and floss your teeth every day and see your dentist or periodontist at least twice a year, or as recommended. If you have gum recession, your dentist may want to see you more often.

How long does it take for gingivitis to turn into periodontitis?

Slight Periodontal Disease

During the early gingivitis stages, gum inflammation can occur in as little as five days. Within two to three weeks, the signs of generalized gingivitis become more noticeable. If you still leave this untreated, it would progress to slight periodontal disease.

How do you reverse early periodontal disease?

The earliest stage, known as gingivitis, only causes mild inflammation, and it can be reversed with good oral hygiene and teeth cleanings. The more advanced stage is a chronic condition called periodontitis. This condition eats away at the bone structures and soft tissues that support teeth.

Can a gum graft fail?

Are there risks of complications after a gum graft? A gum graft is a highly successful procedure that does not usually lead to complications. Rarely, a patient may develop an infection or the graft will fail to integrate with the existing gum tissue.

What is severe gum recession?

Gum recession is a form of gum disease. It happens when your gum tissue pulls away from your teeth, exposing the roots underneath. This makes your teeth more vulnerable to cavities.

Is Stage 2 periodontal reversible?

The second stage of periodontal disease is not reversible, but you can manage it with help from your dentist. At this stage, you'll notice swelling and redness of the gums, bleeding while brushing and flossing, bad breath, and deep pockets between your teeth at about 4 or 5 millimeters deep.

Can you shrink gum pockets?

Scaling and root planing helps to shrink periodontal pockets and can heal gum tissue. This treatment prevents further infection, and keeps your teeth and gums looking and feeling great. After scaling and root planing most patients notice their gums recede less, and they are restored.

Can you rebuild bone loss in gums?

Proper periodontal therapy in combination with good home oral hygiene (proper tooth brushing, flossing and interdental cleaning) can eradicate the disease and even regrow some of the bone loss.