Osseous Surgery

Osseous (meaning "bone") surgery involves removing and/or reshaping the jawbone under the gum. Such a procedure is called for not because of gum disease per se, but because of most of the damage that occurs in the underlying bone. Actually, gum disease and its attendant infection that spreads below the gum tissue can destroy the bone structure below. The bone becomes irregularly shaped, preventing the gum from laying down flat.