Gingivectomy

A gingivectomy is necessary when the gums have pulled away from the teeth, creating deep pockets. The pockets make it hard to clean away plaque. Gingivectomy is usually done before gum disease has damaged the bone supporting your teeth. The procedure involves removing and reshaping loose, diseased gum tissue to get rid of pockets between the teeth and gums. After removing the gum tissue, a puttylike substance is placed over your gum line. This will protect your gums while they heal. If you maintain good dental care after surgery, a gingivectomy is likely to stop gum disease.