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| Your
bone and gum tissue should fit snugly around your teeth like a turtleneck
around your neck. When you have periodontal disease, this supporting
tissue and bone is destroyed, forming "pockets" around
the teeth. |
| 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 periodontist has measured the depth of your pockets. A pocket
reduction procedure has been recommended because you have pockets
that are too deep to clean with daily at-home oral hygiene and a
professional care routine. |
| During
this procedure, your periodontist folds back the gum tissue and
removes the disease-causing bacteria before securing the tissue
into place. In some cases, irregular surfaces of the damaged bone
are smoothed to limit areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide.
This allows the gum tissue to better reattach to healthy bone. |
What are the benefits of this procedure?
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Reducing pocket depth and eliminating existing bacteria are important
to prevent damage caused by the progression of periodontal disease
and to help you maintain a healthy smile. Eliminating bacteria alone
may not be sufficient to prevent disease recurrence. Deeper pockets
are more difficult for you and your dental care professional to
clean, so it's important for you to reduce them. 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. |
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