Periodontics (Gum Disease)
Treating deep gum pockets
Healthy gums fit closely around your teeth, and the underlying bone supports them. Periodontal disease damages this supporting tissue and bone, creating pockets around the teeth.
Two periodontists work at our clinic alongside our dental hygienists. We offer deep cleaning (scaling and root planing), gum grafting, crown lengthening and periodontal flap surgery. We recommend treatment after examining your gums and discussing the options with you.
Over time, these pockets become deeper, providing a larger space for bacteria to live. As bacteria develop around the teeth, they can accumulate and advance under the gum tissue. These deep pockets collect even more bacteria, resulting in further bone and tissue loss. Eventually, if too much bone is lost, the teeth will need to be extracted.
Your dentist will measure the depth of the pockets around your teeth. Further treatment may be recommended if these pockets are too deep to clean through daily oral hygiene and routine professional care.
Depending on the depth of the pockets, scaling and root planing may be recommended. For particularly deep pockets, a pocket-reduction procedure may be appropriate. During this procedure, the periodontist folds back the gum tissue, removes disease-causing bacteria and secures the tissue back in place. This helps the gum tissue reattach to healthy bone.
Reduced pockets and a combination of daily oral hygiene and professional maintenance care increase your chances of keeping your natural teeth – and decrease the chance of serious health problems associated with periodontal disease.