by dds2017 | Aug 21, 2025 | Blog, Dental Topics 5, Oral Surgery
Understanding Treatments for Serious Gum Recession
While minor gum recession can be treated by your dentist with deep cleaning and antibiotics, serious gum recession often requires oral surgery. When there is a loss of bone and very deep gum pockets, gum surgery becomes necessary to address the pain and damage caused by acute gum recession.
Three Primary Treatments for Serious Gum Recession
- Pocket Depth Reduction
This procedure involves a deep cleaning of the affected area. The periodontist folds back the gum tissue to perform tooth scaling and root planing, removing tartar and plaque buildup around the tooth. After cleaning, the gum tissue is repositioned, effectively eliminating or significantly reducing the depth of gum pockets. - Regeneration
Similar to pocket depth reduction, this treatment also addresses bone loss due to gum recession. A regenerative agent, such as graft tissue, membranes, or tissue-stimulating proteins, is applied to the area. The gum tissue is repositioned and stitched down. Over time, the regenerative agent promotes the rebuilding of lost bone and tissue, resulting in healthier gum structures. - Soft Tissue Graft
In this procedure, healthy gum tissue is transplanted to the affected area to protect exposed tooth roots. The graft is typically sourced from the patient’s own mouth, such as the roof of the mouth or nearby gum tissue. The transplanted tissue covers the exposed root, protecting it from infection and further damage.
Prevention Is Key
To avoid the need for oral surgery, prioritize good oral hygiene habits. Brush and floss daily, and visit your dentist twice a year for checkups and professional cleanings. Early intervention is essential—talk to your dentist if you notice any signs of gum recession or have concerns about preventing it.
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by dds2017 | Aug 7, 2025 | Blog, Dental Topics 5, Oral Surgery
Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars, typically emerging in the late teens or early twenties. Standard dental practice recommends removing wisdom teeth before they are fully formed, as this is when the roots have not yet completely developed and rooted into the jawbone. Younger patients tend to recover more easily from the surgery, and many dentists believe that early removal can prevent future dental issues associated with wisdom teeth.
If your wisdom teeth were not removed when they first emerged, here are some signs and symptoms that could indicate the need for extraction:
- Impacted wisdom teeth: These are trapped in the jawbone or gums, causing discomfort.
- Wisdom teeth emerging at awkward angles: This can lead to pressure on adjacent teeth.
- Crowding: Wisdom teeth may not fit in your mouth, causing crowding of the surrounding teeth.
- Decay or disease: Wisdom teeth may suffer from decay due to difficulty in cleaning them properly.
- Fluid-filled cysts: These may develop near the gumline around the wisdom teeth.
- Pain: Any of the above issues can cause discomfort or pain.
The decision to remove your wisdom teeth should be made in consultation with your dentist or oral surgeon. They can evaluate the position and health of your wisdom teeth and make a recommendation for treatment.
If removal is necessary, your dentist may choose to extract one tooth or all four molars at once. The procedure is typically outpatient, and recovery usually takes just a few days. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms listed, contact your dental office to determine if wisdom tooth removal is right for you to maintain your long-term oral health.
by Dr. Adkins | Apr 2, 2021 | Blog, Dental Topics 1, Oral Surgery
Wisdom teeth are the third set of molars, and usually emerge in the late teens or early twenties. Standard dental practice is to remove wisdom teeth prior to them being fully formed when the roots have not yet had a chance to develop and fully root into the jaw. Younger patients usually have an easier recovery from surgery and many dentists believe early removal prevents future dental problems associated with wisdom teeth.
If your wisdom teeth were not removed as they emerged, there are some signs and symptoms that would indicate the need for extraction including:
- Wisdom teeth that are impacted, which means they have become trapped in the jawbone or gums.
- Wisdom teeth that are emerging at an awkward angle, causing pressure on adjacent teeth.
- Wisdom teeth that do not fit in your mouth, causing crowding of the surrounding teeth as well.
- Wisdom teeth that are suffering from decay or disease caused by the inability to keep them cleaned properly.
- Wisdom teeth that have developed fluid-filled cysts near the gumline.
- Wisdom teeth that are causing pain due to any of the above reasons.
The decision about whether or not to remove your wisdom teeth should be made in consultation with your dental professional. Your dentist or oral surgeon can assess the position and health of your wisdom teeth and make a recommendation for treatment.
If extraction is recommended, they may choose to extract one tooth or all four molars at once. Recovery from the outpatient procedure takes just a few days, and you will quickly be back to normal. Contact our dental office if you are experiencing any of these symptoms listed to determine if you should consider wisdom tooth removal to ensure your future good oral health.
by Dr. Adkins | Dec 25, 2020 | Blog, Dental Topics 2, Oral Surgery
While minor gum recession can be treated by your dentist with deep cleaning and antibiotics, serious gum recession can only be treated with oral surgery. A loss of bone and gum pockets that are very deep require gum surgery to address the pain and damage left by acute gum recession.
Three treatments are used primarily in the treatment of serious gum recession, in order of invasiveness: pocket depth reduction, regeneration, and soft tissue graft. Pocket depth reduction involves a deep cleaning of the affected area. The periodontist folds the gum tissue back and utilizes tooth scaling and root planing to remove any tartar and plaque built up around the tooth. Once the gum pockets are clean, the surgeon pulls the gum tissue gently around the tooth, eliminating the deep pockets altogether or significantly reducing their depth.
Regeneration utilizes a similar treatment to pocket depth reduction, but it also addresses any bone loss that occurred due to acute gum recession. In this process, a regenerative agent such as graft tissue, membranes or tissue stimulating proteins is added to the affected area. The gum tissue is then tucked into place and stitched down. Over time, the regenerative agent will work to rebuild lost bone and tissue, leaving healthy and thriving tissue behind.
The most common soft tissue graft is taken from the patient’s own mouth, either by removing tissue from the roof of the mouth or from the gum tissue near the affected tooth. The healthy gum tissue is placed in the affected area, over the exposed tooth root, protecting it from infection and damage.
To prevent the need for oral surgery to address your receding gums, have good oral hygiene habits. Brush, floss and see your dentist twice a year for checkups and professional cleanings. Talk to your dentist if you have any other questions about how to reverse or prevent gum recession.
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by Dr. Adkins | Dec 18, 2020 | Blog, Dental Topics 1, Oral Surgery
Wisdom teeth, your third set of molars, are named that because they are the final teeth to erupt. They usually come in between ages 17 to 25, and are located in the very back of your mouth on the top and bottom. Your dentist will examine you to find out if your wisdom teeth are properly positioned and healthy. If they aren’t, your dentist will recommend removal.
How do you know wisdom teeth should be removed?
Some of the signs there is a problem with your wisdom teeth include pain, infection, cysts, gum disease, damage to nearby teeth, and tooth decay. If you experience any of these symptoms, see your dentist for an examination.
What are impacted wisdom teeth?
Sometimes your teeth just don’t have room to grow in properly. They can erupt at angles within your jaw, sometimes even horizontally. If wisdom teeth aren’t able to erupt normally they can become trapped, or impacted, inside your jaw. Symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth are pain, infection, and swelling. When teeth are impacted, they can lead to serious problems. Many dentists want to avoid impacted teeth and therefore remove your wisdom teeth before they erupt or grow too big.
Are there less obvious reasons to remove wisdom teeth?
It’s not always clear when these teeth way in the back of your mouth are causing problems, or might in the future. Many dentists remove them in teens or young adults so they don’t cause problems later, or become too firmly planted in the jaw. Also, sometimes wisdom teeth are removed as part of orthodontic, periodontal, or restorative treatment plans.
What happens if I don’t have them removed?
Some dentists prefer to wait and see what happens with time to your wisdom teeth. Make sure you continue to have these teeth monitored, because the risk of problems doesn’t go away with age. Removing wisdom teeth isn’t always necessary, because if there’s room in your mouth and they come in properly, they work just like any other teeth. The key is to watch them to make sure problems don’t arise in the future.
Dental office for wisdom teeth removal
by Dr. Adkins | Oct 23, 2020 | Blog, Dental Topics 2, Oral Surgery
There are a number of reasons that dentists or oral surgeons recommend surgery, but facial injuries are probably the most unexpected and alarming cause. Maxillofacial injury, or facial trauma, refers to any injury to the mouth, jaw, and face. Most of these injuries result from sports, car accidents, job accidents, violence, or an accident at home. Let’s learn about oral surgery resulting from facial trauma.
Broken bones are a common type of serious facial injury. Fractures can occur in the upper or lower jaw, cheekbones, palate, and eye sockets. Injuries in these locations may affect vision and the ability to eat, talk, and breathe. Hospitalization is often required for treatment, which is similar to that for fractures in other parts of the body. The bones must be lined up and held in place to allow time to heal them in the correct position. Because casts are not possible in facial injuries, the surgeon may use wires, screws, or plates to treat fractures. Sometimes healing takes as long as six weeks or more.
Even though some facial injuries are worse than others, all of them should be taken seriously. They affect an important area of the body, so it is recommended to seek treatment from an oral surgeon to make sure you receive optimum care. Even if stitches are all that’s required, it’s best to have them performed by an oral surgeon who can place them exactly as needed to produce the best results.
It’s no surprise that the best solution for facial injuries is to prevent them in the first place. Oral surgeons suggest consistent use of mouth guards, seat belts, and masks and helmets as required. Improvements have been made to safety gear to make these items more comfortable and efficient, so there should be no excuses for not using them to protect yourself and avoid injuries that can lead to oral surgery.
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