Why Would I Need Gum Surgery?
Dr Susan Wells – July 2009
Gum surgery is performed by the dentist for a number of reasons, and while some of them are because of a disease inside the gum, other gum surgery procedures are entirely cosmetic in nature and are done to improve the appearance of the mouth or smile. Another kind of gum surgery is referred to as crown lengthening, and it is in a rather unique category. Crown lengthening is performed in cases where the tooth needs to be fixed because it has been broken off, but there is just not enough of the tooth showing above the gum line to facilitate the repair. Since not enough tooth is sticking up to support a repair – for example, to support attaching a new artificial tooth or crown – then the dentist may have to use gum surgery to cut away the gum and reveal more of the tooth.
Gum surgery to create crown lengthening may also be used in situations where a crown, repaired tooth, or dental filling comes loose and falls out to reveal dangerous decay underneath it. In order to properly and securely set a new crown or filling, the dentist needs a solid base – and that can call for removing some of the gum to expose more of the hard, solid tooth foundation. Once gum surgery removes tissue around the tooth – below the visible gum line – then the repair can be successfully completed.
But crown lengthening is sometimes done for looks and appearance only, because people may have more gum showing than they like. The dentist can then cut and scrape away the pink gum tissue using gum surgery. That exposes more of the white part of the tooth, and in some cases it gives the person a nicer looking, more attractive smile. These kinds of procedures – often referred to as gingivoplasty – rework the shape of the gum by cutting or sculpting them to make them look more natural and appealing.
Trimming the gums to remove bacteria is called gingivectomy, and this is often needed when food has gotten trapped between teeth and harbored infectious bacteria. Once the infection begins to attack the gums the dentist may need to use a gingivectomy procedure to open the gums, pull back the gummy tissue, and then excavate the diseased area. After cleaning it and then replacing the gums – which may require stitching – there is a period of healing and then the gums should be returned to their original healthy condition.
Any time there is a diseased area beyond the reach of the dentist; deep down in the gum tissue below the exposed area of the tooth, it may be necessary to perform some type of gum surgery. In almost all types of gum surgery the process is the same. The gum is cut, peeled away to reveal more of the part of the tooth that is normally buried into the gum out of sight, and then the repair or clearing out of infection is done. Once again the gum tissue is replaced – unless trimming is a better alternative for cosmetic reasons, for instance – and after the surgery has time to heal the dentist will reexamine the gums to ensure that they are in good shape with no lingering problems.
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