Gingivectomy Procedure: Removal of Non-Viable Tissues

NEW YORK - July 4, 2019 - PRLog -- Gingivectomy is the removal of an overgrown gum edge, which forms periodontal pockets. Food debris and plaque that get trapped there provide the perfect breeding ground for harmful bacteria and subsequent inflammation.

How does the gum pocket appear?

Failure to follow the basic rules of oral hygiene leads to the accumulation of food debris and plaque in the interdental spaces, which solidify and begin to form tartar. The gums react to the appearance of tartar: the edge begins to expand and cover the deposits of tartar. The more such deposits accumulate, the larger the gum pocket becomes.

How to get rid of the gum pocket?

To get rid of the gum pocket, a surgery called a gingivectomy is performed. It is done when you have mild periodontitis and cleaning the periodontal pocket from tartar, plaque and food debris, as well as taking medications, did not help.

This can be explained by the fact that the gum after the removal of stone and food debris can't immediately fit tightly to the body of the tooth. The person continues to eat food and it again falls into the gum pocket, rots and causes inflammation. To prevent this, the edge of the gums should be slightly trimmed by removing the gum pocket.

When is gingivectomy appointed?

Gingivectomy is recommended when all other therapeutic methods show their ineffectiveness:

• taking antibiotics;
• curettage (cleaning out gum pockets);
• teeth scraping.

One more indication for gingivectomy is if the depth of the gum pockets exceeds 4 mm. Deep periodontal pockets can accumulate pathogens that cause gingivitis (when gum tissue becomes inflamed) and periodontitis (when the circulatory tissue is inflamed or the bone begins to inflame the tooth).

In some cases, a gingivectomy procedure (https://www.bronx-ny-dentist.com/gingivitis-treatment/) is used in aesthetic surgery. It is done to make the teeth become visually longer, and gums - smoother. However, this procedure has opponents who claim unreasonable risks of gingivectomy for aesthetic purposes.

Contraindications to gingivectomy

Gingivectomy, like any other surgical procedure, has several contraindications:

• disorders of the immune system;
• blood diseases - coagulation disorder, anemia, leukemia, etc;
• connective tissue diseases;
• cardiovascular diseases - cardiac arrhythmias, a recent heart attack, hypertension, etc;
• acute infectious diseases.

In addition, gingivectomy cannot be done if the inflammatory process has already moved to the bone tissue.

How is gingivectomy performed?

The whole procedure can be divided into three stages.

The preparatory stage includes:

• professional teeth cleaning. It is carried out in order to remove tartar, plaque and food debris -  a nutrient environment for the development of pathogenic bacteria;

• the introduction of an anesthetic drug. The operation is performed under local anesthesia, which lasts for several hours, but this is quite enough to do all the necessary manipulations. The procedure lasts from half an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the complexity of the case and the amount of work.

Operational stage:

• The surgeon removes periodontal tissue partially or completely, depending on the evidence. The periodontal pocket can be removed both on one tooth and on several at once. Removal of gum pockets is done with a scalpel or laser. The use of a laser minimizes postoperative complications;
• after removal of the gum tissue, the wound is treated with an antiseptic solution and covered with a special putty. In the end, a sterile dressing is applied. Because of all these manipulations, the tissue regenerates faster.

The postoperative stage:

The dental surgeon will explain how to care for your teeth during the rehabilitation period. Careful attention in the postoperative period should be paid to oral hygiene. Brushing your teeth should be done gently - you must use a brush with soft bristles. Sometimes the doctor recommends not to use a brush and floss at all for some time and instead only use a special rinse solution.

505 Dental Associates
505 Claremont Parkway,
Bronx, NY 10457
+1 (718) 299-3600
https://www.bronx-ny-dentist.com