Gingivioplasty & Gingivectomy

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This is a procedure that remodels healthy gingivia (gum), around the teeth, either for an aesthetic or for a functional reason.  The amount of gum and its positioning can cause problems for aesthetics around the mouth.  As such sometimes people have this surgery to create a better-looking smile.  The two procedures are normally performed together, the gingivioplasty correcting the gum removed during gingivectomy.

Gingivectomy – Removal of the inflamed gum around the tooth.

Gingivioplasty – Remodeling of the gum for aesthetic value.

Reasons for having Gingivioplasty

• The gums failed to form properly or are not aesthetically pleasing.  This can be due to several reasons including trauma and inherited genes
• To place additional gum tissue around the teeth.  This can lead to speech problems and chewing difficulties.  Also, sometimes the shape of the gum can affect the results of your oral hygiene routine
• When gum disease has meant a lot of treatments have affected the look of the gums
• To correct and remove any pockets or holes within the gums around the teeth.  These can become filled with excess food and can be potentially dangerous due to infections and bacteria that can form in the area.

Gingivioplasty Procedure

• Your teeth will be cleaned professionally by either your dentist or a hygienist to remove and dental plaque, excess food and tartar
• You will be given an anaesthetic to numb the area, ensuring you feel no pain throughout the procedure
• Your dentist will use either a scalpel or very sharp, angled blades to remodel your gum line
• There are other options available for having this procedure, for example now surgeons can use lasers and electro-surgery instead of scalpels. 
• The surgery will usually only take a few minutes, although sometimes this might extend to nearly an hour 
• The incisions will be stitched up with either normal or dissolvable stitches

You will have a periodontal dressing placed over the gums that were treated.  This is a rubber-type material that will protect the stitches while they heal.

Gingivioplasty Recovery & Risks

After having a gingivioplasty surgery it is important that you maintain as high a possible standard of oral hygiene, despite not being able to brush the affected teeth.  There is always a risk of infection when surgery is performed, and by keeping out as many bacteria as possible you seriously reduce your chances of having one.  It is likely that your surgeon will recommend that you use an antibacterial mouthwash and you will be given advice on pain-killers to take.

Once your periodontal dressing has been removed, usually after about 10 days, you can continue to brush and floss as normal, but being gentle around the treated gums.  Within the time you are wearing the dressing it is also advised that you maintain a soft diet with no hard or crunchy foods. 

For the first couple of days you may experience some bleeding from the gums, but this ought to stop soon after the surgery.  After 3 or 4 weeks you will be able to brush like normal again, and the gums will start to look like healthy gums again.  After 3 or 4 months the tissues will have completely healed.

Gingivioplasty Risks

There is always a risk of infection when surgery is performed, although the cleaner you keep you mouth, the less risk there is of you developing one.  It is imperative that you follow your surgeons’ advice on this.  Large amounts of bleeding over a long period of time could also occur, although this is very rare.  Generally gingivioplasty is a risk free surgery with good results.