Veterinary Dental Referral Service

Cedric Tutt BVSc (hons), MMedVet (Med) (Bov), MRCVS

Periodontic - treatment of gingivitis and periodontitis

Periodontic Surgery

• When deep pockets are found around teeth, whether due to gingival hyperplasia (overgrowth) or periodontal disease, the pocket depth must be reduced to facilitate oral home care. Deep pockets cannot be kept clean by daily brushing and if not treated the condition will progress leading to loss of the affected tooth or teeth.
  11

• The overgrown gingiva may be as a result of an oral cancer and therefore a sample of this tissue is submitted to the laboratory for further evaluation.
  11

• It is sometimes necessary to perform surgery on the gingiva (gums) to expose the roots of teeth so that they can be thoroughly cleaned. In some cases it is necessary to use a curette to clean that part of the tooth that is under the gum line. This procedure is called root planning.