Gum Surgery in Chicago IL: Supporting your Teeth

Chicago IL Gum Flap Surgery Procedure

Sometimes, deep teeth cleaning cannot go far enough below the gum line to address the periodontal disease that’s present. In these cases, a Chicago IL periodontist is needed to surgically lift the gum tissue, exposing the root surfaces of the teeth and allowing the doctor to thoroughly clean and disinfect the area.

First, a local anesthetic is applied to ensure the patient’s comfort and numb the area. Next, a small incision is made in the gum tissue. From there, the gum tissue is folded back, revealing the root surfaces of the teeth. Any diseased gum tissue is removed, and the tooth roots are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. If there is evidence of bone loss, bone grafting might take place while the area is exposed. The gum flap is then sutured back into place.

Gum Tissue Grafting In Chicago IL

While this procedure can be performed cosmetically, most often we see connective tissue grafting performed to address significant gum recession. The ultimate goal here is to increase the amount of attached, hard (keratinized) gum tissue that supports the tooth or teeth in question. There are two main types of grafting:

Subepithelial Connective Tissue Graft: Here, a small piece of tissue is borrowed from your maxillary palate (roof of your mouth) and then secured to the area that lacks adequate tissue by tucking it underneath the existing gum. The palatal donor site is then closed using medical grade superglue or resorbable stitches. Donor tissue can also be used here, especially if the area requiring surgery is larger than what’s available from the palate. This is used often for root coverage and almost always in cosmetic cases as it is difficult to distinguish the graft from the surrounding area.

Free Gingival Graft: This periodontal treatment also involves using tissue from your maxillary palate, but in this case the surface tissue is taken instead of the tissue underneath. A free gingival graft will often be used on the lower jaw if there is a shallow attachment between your cheek and your gum tissue, the goals are not cosmetic, or if keratinized tissue and not root coverage is the main objective.