With this common procedure, surgeons make small cuts in your gum and lift a section of tissue back. Then, they remove tartar and bacteria from your tooth and from under your gums. The gums are sutured back, so the tissue fits firmly around your teeth. This procedure can remove bacteria from beneath your gums, make it easier to clean your teeth, reshape the bones that support your teeth, and/or prevent future gum damage. If gum disease has damaged the bone surrounding your tooth root, your dentist might have to replace it with a graft.
