Periodontal (Gum) Surgery -- Once you’ve been diagnosed with periodontal (gum) disease, deep cleaning also called scaling and root planning is needed to remove plague and tartar deposits on the tooth and root surfaces. The deep cleaning helps gum tissue to heal and periodontal pockets to shrink. Additionally, gum medication which is placed directly in the periodontal pocket after scaling and root planning may also be needed to help control infection. If periodontal disease does not respond to the root planning and scaling treatment, periodontal pocket continues to enlarge and becomes a place for bacteria to grow and attack the bone and tissue. Then, surgery may be needed to allow dentists to access hard-to-reach areas under the gum to remove accumulated tartar along the root, as well as inflamed tissues and damaged bone around the teeth. Bone graft, membranes may also be used during the surgery to regenerate bone lost due to periodontal disease. If excessive gum tissue has been lost, a soft tissue (gum) graft may be performed to cover the exposed root to reduce sensitivity and improve esthetics.

Wisdom Teeth Extraction – Wisdom teeth may be impacted and trapped beneath the gum and bone and may cause damage to adjacent teeth. A partially erupting wisdom tooth may also create an opening for infection which often leads to pain, swelling and jaw stiffness. Additionally, it can be one of the factors that may cause the teeth overcrowding when not having enough room for growing. Removal wisdom teeth at older age can increase surgery complications including dry sockets, bleeding, numbness, tingling and so on. Since wisdom teeth are often not needed for chewing and are difficult to keep clean, early removals of impacted wisdom teeth are usually recommended to prevent the above complicated possibilities.

Bone Grafting and Dental Implant Surgery -- Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies or is reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients need bone grafts to rebuild jaw bone volume to place implants at proper depth and width. Bone grafts also help to restore functionality and esthetic appearance of the jaws. There are three types of bone grafts, each named with regard to the source of the bone used in the procedure:

• In an autogenous bone grafting procedure, bone is harvested from one area of the body, usually in the mouth, and transferred to the area of the jaw that needs grafting.
• In an allograft procedure, either synthetic bone or cadaver bone is used to augment the jaw bone.
• In a xenograft procedure, bovine or cow bone is used.

Gum Grafting and Regeneration – Soft tissue grafts can be used to cover exposed roots to protect them from decay, reduce tooth sensitivity, and improve esthetics of the smile. Gum grafts may be also needed to cover partially exposed implants so the restorations may not need to be replaced. In gum grafting procedure, a thin piece of tissue is taken from the roof of the mouth, or gently moved over from adjacent areas, to provide a stable band of attached gingiva around the tooth. Also available is "Alloderm"; which is a tissue regenerative product which has an ideal biological framework to harness natures own healing process. The gingival graft may be placed in such a way as to cover the exposed portion of the root or the implant.