Traditional and Laser Gum Surgery
Gum disease affects millions of Americans, and the problem is that most don't know they have it until it is too late. Instead of catching gum disease in the early stages, the infection is left to progress and harm overall health.
What Is Periodontal Disease?
Periodontal infections commonly occur when plaque isn't removed promptly and left to sit along the gum line. It hardens and turns into tartar or calculus, which harbors various harmful bacteria that attack the mouth's soft tissues.
Gums become red and swollen, pull away from the teeth and pockets form, allowing bacteria to penetrate even deeper. Minor symptoms, such as bleeding and bad breath, can evolve into more serious ones where gums separate from the teeth, leading to bone loss and even tooth loss.
Gum Surgery Procedures We Offer
Traditional gum surgery involves making small incisions into the gums and then removing the infected tissue. In some cases, treatment involves trimming away infected soft tissues and re-contouring the uneven bone. We then place small sutures to allow for proper healing as gums reattach to the tooth root.
Another gum surgery, osseous surgery or pocket reduction, cleans the infected area. During this treatment, our periodontist, Dr. Calvin Dang, accesses the area to remove bacteria, plaque, and calculus from the deep pockets around your teeth.
Our periodontist also smooths rough or porous areas on the root so gums can reattach properly to a clean surface. Once the area is cleaned and smoothed, the gums are secured back in place.
How Gum Surgery Benefits Your Oral Health
If our periodontist recommends gum surgery, it is because the procedure offers numerous benefits:
- Eliminates existing bacteria to kill the infection
- Stops the decaying process
- Prevents further damage caused by gum disease
- Helps restore your healthy smile
We understand that the idea of gum surgery can cause anxiety for many patients. At CDIC, we always have your comfort at the top of our minds, and our amazing dental team will do everything to ensure the most stress-free experience possible.
If you think you can benefit from greater relaxation, we also offer nitrous oxide, also called laughing gas and IV sedation dentistry for your peace of mind.
Benefits of Laser Gum Surgery
Eliminating periodontal disease involves removing the infection and closing the pockets between gums and teeth. Laser gum surgery is a less invasive, more comfortable alternative to traditional gum surgery.
Laser gum surgery speeds recovery by encouraging actual tissue regeneration with no cutting, no stitches, and no pain. This breakthrough gum disease treatment not only eradicates the infection but also allows healthy gum fibers to reattach to the tooth root.
There are numerous benefits to laser gum surgery, including:
- More comfortable procedure
- Less time than traditional surgery
- The most efficient way to remove infection
- Better precision and less damage to healthy tissue
- No scalpels or sutures
- Fewer follow-up visits
- Faster healing
- Longer-lasting results
Laser gum surgery is a great choice for patients who experience anxiety or need to return to work as soon as possible. Also, laser gum surgery costs about the same as conventional surgery.
What's Involved with Laser Gum Surgery
Laser gum surgery is so gentle that it only requires a little local anesthetic to ensure patient comfort, and the recovery period is often less than 24 hours. This treatment was specifically designed to meet the growing need for pain-free dentistry.
Our periodontist can treat your entire mouth in just one appointment that lasts about two hours. Follow-up treatment involves only two appointments, compared to the four-plus for traditional surgery.
Schedule an Evaluation with Our Periodontist
If you have ongoing problems with gum disease and want to learn more about options like traditional and laser gum surgery, we can help you. Please call the Cosmetic and Dental Implant Center to schedule an appointment with our skilled, experienced periodontist to see how we can help you.
We have four convenient dental offices in Orange County to serve you. You can reach our Huntington Beach office (714) 968-2527, our Brea office (714) 257-0330, or our Placentia office (714) 577-9070. If you are in the Cypress area, please call our Cypress Smiles Dentistry office at (714) 261-2211.
