Pocket Reduction Procedures

Your healthy bone and gum tissue fits closely around your teeth to support them. But when periodontal disease begins to take hold, pockets form as the bone and gum tissue start to be destroyed. Bacteria which regularly form around the teeth find a home in these pockets and as the pockets become deeper, more bacteria reside in them.

Gum disease proceeds with this unfortunate domino effect. The more bacteria that invade the pockets, the more the bacteria destroy bone and gum tissue. And the more these tissues are destroyed, the deeper the pockets become, providing more space for bacteria to invade and continue its destructive course.

Gum disease is painless in its progression and its most terrible result is that once enough of the supportive tissue is destroyed, the teeth loosen and can either fall out or require extraction. Without the support of healthy bone and gum tissue, there is nothing left to hold a tooth in place.

Our doctors measure the depth of the periodontal pockets around your teeth to help ascertain the health of your bone and gum tissue. A pocket reduction procedure is recommended when the pockets have become too deep to clean with regular daily home oral care combined with standard dental hygiene procedures.

During this procedure, the doctor will fold back the gum tissue and remove the diseased tissue. The healthy tissue is then secured back into place. Sometimes irregular surfaces of the damaged bone will need to be smoothed to promote better reattachment of the gum tissue to healthy bone.

Reducing the depth of the pockets and eliminating the existing bacteria is the beginning of turning back the tide of periodontal disease and preserving your healthy gums and teeth. Periodontal disease is a battle that must continue to be waged to maintain your oral health. Good home oral care along with regular dental hygiene visits will help you to keep your winning smile!