Periodontal microsurgery.
Practitioners of periodontics must have familiarity with the various methods of optical magnification and, ultimately, the surgical microscope, if they are going to refine their basic surgical techniques with improved visual acuity, as other areas of medicine and dentistry are doing. Macroscopic versus microscopic vision determines the degree to which surgeons can handle soft and hard tissue for primary wound closure and rapid, non-traumatic healing. Subtle basic microsuturing techniques offer vast improvement in wound closure through magnification and good visual feedback, as opposed to the tactile information traditionally taught in conventional suturing. Periodontal microsurgery began with mucogingival surgery, but has application in every area of periodontal therapy for those who become proficient in this challenging new area of technology.