Osseous Surgery
Osseous surgery, sometimes referred to as pocket reduction surgery, is preformed to gain access to the tooth roots to remove disease-causing bacteria. Osseous surgery is used to reshape deformities and remove pockets in the alveolar bone surrounding the teeth. The goal of osseous surgery is to reduce or eliminate the periodontal pockets that cause periodontal disease.
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Dr. Cavallari provides a variety of surgical services for the treatment of periodontal issues. Contact us for more information.
The specific goals of osseous surgery include:
- Reducing Bacterial Spread:
Bacteria from the mouth can spread throughout the body and cause other life-threatening conditions such as heart disease and respiratory disease. Removing deep tartar and thereby bacteria can help reduce the risk of bacteria spreading. - Preventing Bone Loss:
The immune system’s inflammatory response prompted by periodontal bacteria can lead to bone loss in the jaw region, and cause teeth to fall out. Osseous surgery seeks to stop periodontal disease before it progresses to this level. - Enhancing the Smile:
Mouths plagued with periodontal disease are often unsightly. Brown gums, rotting teeth, and ridge indentations can leave a person feeling depressed and too self-conscious to smile. Fortunately, osseous surgery can help reduce bacteria and disease and thereby restore your mouth to its former radiance, while restoring confidence at the same time. - Facilitating Home Care:
As the gum pocket deepens, it can become nearly impossible to brush and floss adequately. Osseous surgery reduces pocket size, making it easier to brush and floss, and thereby helps prevent further periodontal disease.
What does osseous surgery entail?
A local anesthetic will be used to numb the area prior to surgery. Once you are completely numb, Dr. Cavallari will then gain access to the roots of the teeth and their surrounding bone. The roots will be thoroughly cleaned through scaling, and then Dr. Cavallari will gently reshape the bone around the teeth. Bone grafting and membrane placement may also be necessary to fill in any bony defects. Next, the gums will be placed back over the remaining bone and sutured into place. The site will then be covered with a bandage (periodontal pack) or dressing.
Pain medicine, and a mouth rinse containing chlorhexidine, will be prescribed to you following the surgery. Several follow up visits will be necessary, and you must adhere to a meticulous hygiene maintenance program to avoid post-operative infection and possible re-infection of the treated areas.