Osseous Surgery

Osseous surgery is a surgical procedure that reshapes the bones that hold your teeth in place and treats bone loss around several teeth. It’s typically a treatment for the gum disease periodontitis. People with periodontitis develop holes in the bones that surround their teeth.

How to prepare for osseous surgery
Initial periodontal therapy, such as scaling or root planning is usually necessary before the actual surgery in order to establish good oral hygiene.

About the Surgery
Using microscopic scopes and instruments, Dr. Kissel separates gums and teeth so that there is access to the roots and surrounding bone. After the roots have been cleaned thoroughly, he will reshape the bones and eliminate the defects around your teeth. Imagine a scarf with frayed edges and by simply trimming the frayed part, the damage will be removed. The gums will be placed back over the remaining bone and they will be stitched back together.

After the surgery there may be some swelling so use an ice pack outside of your face over the treated area. In some situations, antibiotics are given before, during, and after the treatment in order to prevent any infections. Dr. Kissel will check the surgical area after a week or two and remove any periodontal packs.

Usually, pain medications are prescribed and it’s important to keep your mouth as clean as possible during the healing process. You should brush your teeth and floss normally on the areas that are not affected. You may need an antimicrobial mouth rinse that contains chlorexidine. This rinse will not completely remove plaque from your teeth but will help to kill the bacteria and enhance the healing process.