Gingival flap surgery is a procedure in which the gums are separated from the teeth and folded back temporarily to allow a dentist to reach the root of the tooth and the bone. Gingival flap surgery is used to treat advanced gum disease (periodontitis). It may be recommended if the initial, non-surgical treatment (scaling and root planing) has not eliminated the gum infection. It may also be done in conjunction with another procedure known as osseous (bone) surgery.

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

A section of the gums is pulled back to expose and clean the roots of the 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 to help the bone grow back where it is deficient.