A bevel incision, or internal bevel incision, is a type of periodontal flap surgery that allows a periodontist to access to the bone and root surfaces of the teeth. A small incision is made in the gingiva to expose the root surfaces and in some cases, the gingiva can be relocated in patients who have mucogingival involvement. This is done to clean the roots of the teeth, remove the periodontal pocket lining, and treat alveolar bone irregularities. Then, the periodontal flap is laid back down and the bevel incision is closed. The procedure helps reduce the risk of infection and inflammation, and can significantly reduce the size of pockets. A bevel incision is typically made using a #15 or #15C surgical blade, and is made to the alveolar crest beginning about 1 mm or less away from the gingival margin. Sutures are placed after the flap is repositioned to allow for minimal, if any, scarring.