How Much Does a Gingivectomy Cost?


Written by:  Howmuchisit.org Staff

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Over time, gum disease will cause your gums to become loose and eventually form pockets between the teeth and gums.  These pockets will become a safe haven for bacteria, and if the pocket becomes too deep, it can lead to tooth loss.  Unfortunately, gums affected by periodontal disease won’t reattach to the teeth and surgery is often necessary to correct the problem if antibiotics or a root planing and scaling don’t work.

A gingivectomy is a surgical procedure that removes the diseased gum tissues, reducing the pocket size and slowing down the gum disease.  It can also be used in correlation with a cosmetic procedure to help reshape and/or re-contour the outer surface of the gums.  This procedure will be absolutely necessary if you want to retain a healthy smile.

Brackets by Aine D, on Flickr
Brackets” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Aine D

How much does a gingivectomy cost?

The estimated cost of a Gingivectomy will depend on the dentist, the procedure being used (traditional or laser), the geographical location and the condition of the gums.  On average, a Gingivectomy procedure can cost $200 to $350 per tooth or around $450 to $900 per quadrant in the mouth.  To have the gums repaired inside the whole mouth, the costs can range from $1,800 to as much as $5,000 without any sort of dental insurance.

Gingivectomy overview

This procedure is often done by a periodontist or an oral surgeon inside of a dentist office. Prior to the surgery, scaling and root planing is often performed to remove any excess bacteria and tartar from below the gum lines.  Typically, this procedure will only require a local anesthesia to numb the gums and a scalpel will be used to remove any gum disease.  A less invasive procedure via a laser gingivectomy can minimize the pain and healing process by using the same approach the scalpel does.  The goal of this surgery is to stop your gum disease from spreading, but it’s important to make healthy choices afterward to ensure the disease doesn’t progress.

The entire procedure will take less than a few hours to perform.

Following the procedure, a dressing will be placed over the gums to protect them for up to 10 days.  It’s important to follow your dentist’s post-surgery guidelines to avoid damaging your gums.  During this time, you will be limited to softer foods and can only drink fluids while the dressing is in place.

What are the extra costs?

Before the dentist performs the procedure, he or she will first check the condition of the teeth and check out the condition of your gums via an x-ray and oral examination.  A periodontic diagnosis examination may have to be performed as well to be certain what procedure is needed and how extensive the damage is.  The cost to have these tests done can cost anywhere from $350 to $400.

Tips to know:

1800dentist.com says the procedure itself isn’t painful, but you may feel some slight discomfort after the procedure has been performed.  Bleeding gums will be normal after the procedure, but as with any procedure, a risk of infection may be present.

Today, a gingivectomy can be used more than just for treating gum disease.  It can also be used as a preventative measure to remove excess gum tissue or combined with a gingivoplasty, a cosmetic procedure done to help treat uneven gums.

A dressing will be applied for up to 10 days, but it may take up to three months to see a complete healing of the affected tissues.

Gum disease, even if you have the procedure done, can progress if you don’t brush or floss regularly after the surgery.

Fiandaca Periodontics has a few gingivectomy before and after pictures to see what your gums could look like after the procedure is complete.

How can I save money?

Consider attending a local dental school to save money.  These students have had extensive training and there will be a licensed professional observing the whole procedure the entire time.

You can also save money if you have dental insurance.  You can check with your dental insurance provider for coverage for the procedure.  If you do not have a dental insurance policy, consider using services such as eHealthInsurance.com to find one.

DentalPlans.com works with thousands of dentists throughout the United States.  Similar to a health insurance policy, these discounted plans could save you hundreds, if not thousands, on just about any dental procedure.


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