Pocket Reduction (Flap) Surgery
If you have a deep pocket or bone loss but the tooth may still be saved, your dentist may recommend this procedure.
It’s usually done by a specialist, such as a periodontist.
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Professional Cleaning
Small pockets of 4 or 5 mm may be reduced in size with professional dental cleaningsalong with aggressive at-home oral hygiene habits.
Your dentist will recommend you brush and floss at least twice daily.
You may also be given an antibacterial mouthwash.
These practices will help remove plaque and tartar from around teeth, reducing gum inflammation.
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Scaling and Root Planing
This non-surgical dental procedure is done with a laser or ultrasonic device.
Hand instruments, like curettes and scalers, are also common.
Scaling and root planing helps remove bacteria, plaque, and tartarfrom around teeth.
It also smooths each tooth’s root surface so that gum tissue can reattach itself to the tooth.
This helps shrink the pocket. .
Medical Procedure
In dentistry, pocket reduction surgery is a periodontal surgery performed in order to reduce the probeable depth of the gingival sulcus to allow for less plaque accumulation and greater access for hygiene.
Reducing the depths of the periodontal pockets eliminates an environment that is hospitable for the more virulent periodontal pathogens.