There are various periodontal treatments; some require surgery and others do not. When a patient has gingivitis, chances are he or she will not need a surgical treatment. Sometimes all a patient needs is a professional dental cleaning to remove bacteria and plaque from the teeth. You may also need a scaling and root planing procedure, which removes plaque from above and below the gum line.
When patient has periodontitis, actual surgery may need to be involved. Pocket reduction surgery is offered to more effectively clean the roots of teeth. You may also require a gum graft to restore damaged gum tissue. The presence of gum disease can affect other areas of the body, so prompt treatment is highly effective.