Is Osseous Surgery Painful?

The goal of marin county osseous surgery is to clean the foundation beneath the gums to encourage the restoration of healthy gum tissue and provide solid support for the teeth. Gum disease is very common, and, with early treatment, it is possible to prevent it from progressing. Gum disease is caused by a buildup of plaque, tartar, and damaging bacteria on the teeth and can be treated with conscientious home care, professional cleanings, and, if necessary, dental scaling and root planing treatments. If left unaddressed, however, gum disease can advance and require aggressive treatments in order to keep the teeth from falling out. Gum disease causes the gum tissue to gradually recede from the teeth, forming pockets between the gums and teeth. These pockets breed bacterial growth and can be difficult to clean with regular oral hygiene, which can allow bacteria to further proliferate. If the gums have receded enough for the teeth to loosen, or for the roots of the teeth to be exposed, osseous surgery will help rebuild degraded gum tissue on a foundation that is clean and free of bacteria or damage. Your periodontist will cut back the gum in the affected area and then debride, or clean, the exposed teeth and bone and treat the area with an antibacterial agent. Once the underlying area is cleaned and treated, the gums are sutured and allowed to heal. In cases of advanced bone loss, osseous surgery may also include a bone or tissue graft before the gums are stitched back into position.

Fear of the dentist and dental treatments is very common, as dental treatments are often assumed to be painful. Osseous surgery is not painful. Prior to treatment, your dental health professional will numb the surgical area with a topical anesthetic, which will facilitate the painless administering of a local anesthetic. This local anesthetic will be injected in the gums around the surgical site. Typically, patients report feeling a slight pinch in the area of the first injection, though if more injections are required they are barely felt, as numbness sets in quickly upon receiving the first injection. Once the patient’s mouth is sufficiently numbed, the surgical procedure can begin. If the patient feels any pain during the procedure, more anesthetic can easily be administered. Following the procedure, the mouth will remain numb for a few hours, so patients are advised to wait to eat anything until the numbness wears off; it is common to bite your lip or tongue if you eat while the mouth is still numb, and this will be painful when the anesthetic wears off. Some patients feel a slight pain where the anesthetic was injected, and there may be a dull pain where incisions were made in the gums, near the gumline. This usually subsides within a few hours. Depending on the extent of the surgical procedure, you may receive a prescription for pain medication, though many patients find that over-the-counter pain medication is sufficient. If you remain in significant pain hours following an osseous surgery treatment, contact your dentist. You may also be prescribed an antibiotic oral rinse and possibly other antibiotic medication to facilitate healing and prevent inflammation or infection.

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