Osseous Surgery – Bloomington IL

Pocket Reduction

Originally developed in the 1970s, osseous surgery refers to a number of different surgeries aimed at gaining access to the tooth roots to remove tartar and disease-causing bacteria as well as accessing the bone around the teeth. Given the many regenerative procedures available today, Dr. Noraian is not likely to recommend osseous surgery for managing your periodontal disease.

Goals of Osseous Surgery

Conventional osseous surgery is used to reshape deformities and remove pockets in the alveolar bone surrounding the teeth. It is commonly used to resect or cut away, the effects of more advanced periodontal diseases. The ultimate goal of osseous surgery is to reduce or eliminate the periodontal pockets that cause periodontal disease. While exposing the bone around the teeth, the procedure allows for thorough cleaning of the root surface and reshaping of the holes in the bone caused by the disease process. The objectives of conventional 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 the pocket size, making it easier to brush and floss, and thereby prevent further periodontal disease.

What does Osseous Surgery entail?

Once the area has been anesthetized, with or without sedation, conventional osseous surgery begins with making an incision using a scalpel around each tooth of the affected area to release the gum tissue from the bone. Then the gum tissue is lifted to expose the bone and roots of the teeth. After the roots have been thoroughly cleaned through scaling, Dr. Noraian uses a drill and hand tools to reshape the bone around the teeth. Bone is removed in some areas to restore the normal rise and fall of the bone but at a lower level.

Next, the gums will be placed back over the remaining bone and sutured in place. The site will also be covered with a bandage (periodontal pack) or dressing. Prescription pain medicine, antibiotics and possibly a mouth rinse may be prescribed following the surgery. Dr. Noraian‘s staff will provide you written and oral post-operative instructions prior to your departure from the office.

Dr. Noraian‘s Experience with Conventional Osseous Surgery

When Dr. Noraian was a resident in Periodontics at Northwestern University, his surgical ability was recognized by the faculty, so upon graduation, they offered him a position as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Periodontics at the Dental School, which he accepted, where he specifically taught graduate students and practicing dentists about conventional osseous surgery.

With time, this particular procedure was seen to have fewer and fewer indications in the treatment of gum disease in Dr. Noraian‘s practice as newer less painful and regenerative procedures have become available. This technique is still one of the best ways to accomplish crown lengthening, and in more rare instances, is being used today by Dr. Noraian for managing your periodontal disease.

At your consultation, Dr. Noraian will review your treatment options and provide you a more detailed insight into the risks, benefits, and alternatives for your specific situation.