When a person develops gum disease, gum surgery may be the only course of treatment that can successfully eradicate the disease and restore a person's oral health. Many people want to know, does gum surgery hurt? This question is difficult to answer, as every person's pain threshold differs. Additionally, there are several types of gum surgery a person may undergo, some more invasive than others. The most an oral surgeon can do is inform a patient about what to expect from each procedure.
A dentist may recommend one of four types of surgery to treat gum disease. Most dental professionals will try non-invasive treatment options before resorting to surgery, but when the disease fails to respond to those treatments, the dentist may refer the patient to an oral surgeon. The oral surgeon will then determine which of the four types of surgery would produce the best results.
The goal of regeneration surgery is to encourage new growth of gum tissue so that it properly encases the tooth. To do this, the surgeon folds back the gums to remove the bacteria that is causing the disease. The surgeon will then insert membranes, bone grafts or proteins designed to stimulate the regeneration of gum tissue.
A surgeon may perform this procedure if regeneration is not possible. The process involves the surgeon folding back the gum tissue, removing the disease-causing bacteria and securing the gum to the teeth.
Crown lengthening makes the teeth appear longer by removing an overgrowth of gum tissue. Though oral surgeons may use this treatment option to remove gum disease, it is also a popular surgery for cosmetic reasons.
When gum tissue recedes due to gum disease, the oral surgeon may borrow healthy gum tissue from elsewhere in the mouth and transplant it to the area of the mouth in which the gum tissue has begun to retreat. As with crown lengthening, a soft-tissue graft is done for cosmetic and health reasons, as the outcome is to cover an area where the root has become exposed and thereby improve the overall appearance of the teeth.
Again, it is difficult to predict just how a patient will feel after gum surgery. However, it is common for patients to experience mild to moderate pain in the immediate hours and days following surgery. This pain can be managed with over-the-counter medications, which the oral surgeon should prescribe. The surgeon may also suggest that the patient apply hot and cold packs at 10-minute intervals.
It does happen that a patient develops moderate swelling after the surgery, or that a patient will begin to bleed. When this happens, the dentist may prescribe a course of antibiotics, which the patient should adhere to strictly.
When a dentist refers a patient to an oral surgeon for gum surgery, it is typically for a good reason. Though most specialists tell patients to expect some sort of level of discomfort post-surgery, it is difficult to tell just how much discomfort a person will experience.
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