Osseous Surgery

This procedure helps to reduce pocket depths and provide a more stable foundation for your teeth. These deeper pockets have formed over time and are now too deep to clean with at-home oral hygiene or professional cleanings. Occasionally, the pocket depths are such that either you at home or the hygienist in the office cannot adequately clean them. This procedure helps to reduce the pocket depths to make it more predictable for you and the hygienist to clean and maintain your teeth. In this procedure, the gum tissue pockets are reduced and the bone contours around the teeth are smoothed to maintain the gains made. In some situations, the teeth may appear longer due to the pocket reduction. In other circumstances, we may be able to combine pocket reduction with localized regeneration procedures.

Question and Answer:

Q: Do I still have to have cleanings at my general dentist?
A: Regular professional cleanings and excellent homecare are the cornerstones of adequate maintenance. The conditions that led to the problems in the first place must not be allowed to recur. In some situations, you will be returned to your general dentist for all maintenance cleanings, while many times we recommend alternating you maintenance appointments between our office and your general dentist. This enables both offices to keep and eye on bother your periodontal condition and your restorative situation. In situations where there are many residual pockets and difficult to reach areas, your maintenance appointments may be exclusively at our office. We still strongly recommend that you have at least annual check-ups at your general dentist, since we do not concentrate on your restorative needs. The interval between maintenance appointments varies, but for many patients who have had periodontal breakdown, an interval of three months is necessary to keep the problems from recurring. Research has shown that, in the deeper pockets, damage starts to occur after 60-90 days of plaque accumulation.

Q: How long does the procedure take?
A: Generally 60-90 minutes.

For more information please visit: American Academy of Periodontology