For optimal health, your gum tissue and bone should fit snugly around your teeth. Think of it as a turtleneck around your neck. However, periodontal disease can destroy this tissue and bone, resulting in pockets around the teeth and a hazardous loss of support.

Over time, these pockets become deeper, providing a larger space for bacteria to live. As bacteria develop around the teeth, they can accumulate and advance under the gum tissue. These deep pockets eventually collect even more bacteria, resulting in further bone and tissue loss. Eventually, if too much bone is lost, the affected teeth are beyond repair and will need to be extracted.

During osseous surgery, a periodontist folds back the gum tissue, allowing him or her to remove disease-causing bacteria that would otherwise be inaccessible. The tissue is then secured back in place.

In some cases, irregular surfaces of the damaged bone are smoothed to limit areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide. This allows the gum tissue to better reattach to healthy bone.