Osseous Surgery
Phoenix, AZ
When your teeth are healthy, the supporting bone and gum tissue fit snugly around them, keeping them firmly in place and protecting them. When you have gum disease, particularly more advanced stages, the gums and bones holding your teeth in place are attacked and destroyed. As a result, pockets are formed. To effectively clean these pockets, and allow your gums and bone to heal, we at Arizona Implant Solutions can perform a procedure known as osseous surgery.
The Progression of Gum Disease
Gum disease starts out barely noticeable. Symptoms often include redness, swelling and bleeding while brushing. These symptoms are often mistaken for other issues, and therefore often go ignored. As gum disease progresses, your gums start to pull away from your teeth, which allows bacteria to invade, destroying gums, bone, and supporting structures. Pockets begin to form, trapping bacteria. Without treatment, the pockets only get deeper. Eventually, your teeth become loose and can even fall out.
Reducing Periodontal Pockets
When periodontal pockets form, they can often be treated with periodontal maintenance, which includes scaling and root planing. This procedure scrapes your teeth clean and allows the pockets to heal. However, if the pockets are too deep, we cannot get down far enough to effectively clean out all of the bacteria or remove tartar buildup. In this case, you may be recommended for osseous surgery.
Osseous Surgery
Osseous surgery is a procedure that allows up access to the roots of your teeth to thoroughly clean them, ridding them of tartar, bacteria and other toxins. After a local anesthetic (and sedation, if needed), we start by making incisions in the gum tissue. We open the tissue and remove all tartar and bacterial buildup, smoothing the surfaces. We may also recontour and reshape the bone, or fill in gaps with the assistance of a bone graft. A guided tissue bone regeneration membrane may be placed so that your bone can heal without interference from your healing gums. We finish by stitching your gums closed around your teeth. Once finished, your gums and bone can begin to heal.
Following the procedure, you may notice that your teeth look a little long, and the spaces between your teeth may seem larger. As your gum tissue heals, these effects will disappear. You may also notice that your teeth have become sensitive. This, too, will disappear with time. As you heal, you can use a sensitivity toothpaste to manage the symptoms.
Maintaining Your Teeth After Osseous Surgery
After osseous surgery, it is important to maintain the health of your mouth. This will ensure that your natural teeth stay healthy, and firmly in place. You will need to commit to a regular in-home oral hygiene regimen, complete with brushing twice daily and flossing. Regular professional cleanings are also essential to maintaining the health of your teeth, gums, and jawbone.
Benefits of Osseous Surgery
There are numerous benefits to osseous surgery:
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Reducing periodontal pockets helps to put an end to gum disease.
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Maintaining the health of your mouth becomes easier
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You will be able to keep your natural teeth.
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The health and beauty of your smile is restored. |
If your teeth are plagued with advanced gum disease, osseous surgery may be able to help. Call Arizona Implant Solutions today to schedule your consultation!
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