Guided Tissue Regeneration (GTR) Surgery

Periodontal pocket cleaned out and
tooth prepared for ATRISORB®

What is guided tissue regeneration for gum disease (gingivitis/periodontitis)?

Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) is a common surgical procedure that helps regrow healthy bone and soft tissues damaged from periodontal disease. Plaque and tartar on teeth are a result of insufficient brushing and flossing and can build up over time and lead to the loss of the supporting tissue around some of your teeth. This leads to gum disease, also known as gingivitis or periodontitis. GTR surgery results in reduction in periodontal pockets and providing teeth with better support. This enables bone and tissue to re-grow around an endangered tooth or, if the tooth is lost, to increase the amount of bone for implant placement.

In a GTR procedure, your dentist places a thin material called a barrier over a periodontal defect below your gum. This barrier creates a space in which your healthy tissue can grow. To accomplish this, the soft (gum) tissue is surgically separated from the endangered tooth area. The tooth surface is then cleaned and the infected tissues are removed from the area. After cleaning, the barrier is placed against the tooth. This barrier separates fast-growing gum tissue away from the newly cleaned surface of the tooth area. The barrier enables slower-growing fibers and bone cells to migrate into the protected area.

Some GTR barriers, such as ATRISORB® and ATRISORB-D, are absorbed by your body while others are not. A barrier that is not absorbed requires you to return for a second surgery, while a barrier that is absorbed requires only a single surgery.