Flap procedure for gum disease

You may need surgery for severe gum disease (periodontitis) if it cannot be cured with antibiotics or root planing and scaling. A flap procedure cleans the roots of a tooth and repairs bone damage caused by gum disease. A gum specialist (periodontist) or an oral surgeon often performs the procedure.

Before the procedure, you will be given a local anesthetic to numb the area where the doctor will work on your gums.

The doctor will pull back a section of your gums to clean the roots of your teeth and repair damaged bone, if needed. The gum flap will be sewn back into place and covered with gauze to stop the bleeding.

Bone may be:

• Smoothed and reshaped so that plaque has fewer places to grow.
• Repaired (grafted) with bone from another part of the body or with man-made materials. The doctor may place a lining on the bone graft to help the bone grow back. The lining may need to be removed later.

The flap procedure is necessary when severe gum disease (periodontitis) has damaged the bones that support your teeth.

If you maintain good dental care after the surgery, the flap procedure should allow you to clean your teeth and gums better. Your gums should become pink and healthy again.