Osseous (Pocket Reduction) Surgery: What It Is and When It's Used
If a dentist or periodontist has raised gum surgery with you, the name of the procedure usually arrives well before the explanation. This article sets out what the procedure is, what happens during it, what is known about recovery, and what keeping the result afterwards involves. It is general information rather than a judgement about any one person's mouth.
What osseous surgery is
Osseous surgery, or pocket reduction surgery, is a type of gum disease treatment that periodontists use to treat moderate to severe periodontitis. Its main goal is to reduce the pockets around the teeth so plaque and bacteria can't hide there (Cleveland Clinic).
A companion article covers gum disease treatment at each stage.
What happens during the procedure
During osseous surgery, the periodontist gives anesthesia to numb the teeth and gums, and smooths and reshapes the bone around the teeth to get rid of pockets or areas of damage. In traditional osseous surgery, the periodontist makes incisions to reach the tooth roots and then stitches the gums (Cleveland Clinic).
Recovery after gum disease treatment
Recovery depends on the treatment: scaling and root planing needs no downtime, while procedures for advanced periodontal disease, such as flap surgery, bone grafts or gum grafts, need anywhere from one to four weeks (Cleveland Clinic).
Those figures are given for the procedures named in them; nothing here attaches a recovery length to osseous surgery by name.
Keeping the result
Osseous surgery starts the path to healthier teeth and gums, but the results have to be maintained with proper oral hygiene, including brushing and flossing daily and visiting the dentist regularly for cleanings (Cleveland Clinic).
Who performs these procedures
Periodontists, gum specialists, usually perform these procedures, but general dentists sometimes treat milder forms of gum disease (Cleveland Clinic). A dental professional may refer a patient to a periodontist, a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of gum disease (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research).
Next step
Our office is at 147 Main St, 2nd Floor, Lodi, NJ 07644, and Dr. Steven Liao is our dentist. For the next step, see our first-visit page.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic. "Osseous Surgery." Updated 2023-04-10. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24886-osseous-surgery
- Cleveland Clinic. "Gum Disease Treatment." Updated 2023-01-31. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/10907-gum-disease-treatment
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. "Periodontal (Gum) Disease." https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/gum-disease
