Periodontal pocket is a term used in dental medicine to refer to the presence of a depth of an abnormal size of the gingival sulcus. The depth occurs near the contact point between the tooth and gingival tissue. People with periodontitis are also likely to experience these pockets although it is not obvious. Healing periodontal pocket can be a stressful process and there might never be full recovery.
The causes of pockets in the mouth are many and diverse. One cause, which is also very common is break down in gum tissues causing a separation from teeth. Once the separation has occurred, space is created which is then filled with bacteria from the mouth. Bacteria multiply quickly and do more damage that leads to the space widening a lot over time. Healing process usually involves removing the bacteria physically and filling the space that is left behind.
Failure to manage pockets while still at the initial stage allows them to get deeper because they form around teeth. Bone and gum tissue are severely damaged by the action of bacteria. Pain is likely to be felt when as the situation gets worse. Eventually, the only solution left would be to extract teeth. All teeth may have to be extracted in very severe cases that have been going on for years.
Periodontal pockets are treated depending on how severe they are. During their initial stages, the bone is usually still intact, but gum tissue is damaged. Gaps at stage measure 4-5 millimeters in depth. Formed calculus can be removed through a process called scaling and root planning. Pain may be felt during this process and some dentists dumb gums to avoid it.
Once this process is finished, one should not feel any pain. Plaque may start forming immediately if proper oral care is not done. It is recommended to brush and floss on a daily basis to keep plaque out. It may take some time, but the gums will move closer to the teeth at the root and health will be restored.
If gums are swollen, they may fail to shrink back into the original position. A dentist has to trim such gums back. A gingivectony is the instrument used for trimming gums backward. If not trimmed, the gums form spaces with teeth and recurrence of pockets is eminent.
Smoothening is done in case bone has been damaged so that reattachment of gum tissues to healthy bone is made easy. Pockets are 5-7 millimeters deep in moderate stages of the disease, This size makes scaling and planning insufficient, which makes exploitation of other options necessary. Normally flap surgery becomes the best approach for solving the problem.
Flap surgery creates space and an opening through which access can be gained to the depth for cleaning the deposit. Once the surgery is done, gum tissue never reconnects to the tooth easily. This leaves a gap that makes the only way to prevent a repetition of the problem making regular visits to a hygienist to keep cleaning the plaque out. Recovery in cases where the pockets are in an advanced stage is hard and usually the tooth may have to be removed.
The causes of pockets in the mouth are many and diverse. One cause, which is also very common is break down in gum tissues causing a separation from teeth. Once the separation has occurred, space is created which is then filled with bacteria from the mouth. Bacteria multiply quickly and do more damage that leads to the space widening a lot over time. Healing process usually involves removing the bacteria physically and filling the space that is left behind.
Failure to manage pockets while still at the initial stage allows them to get deeper because they form around teeth. Bone and gum tissue are severely damaged by the action of bacteria. Pain is likely to be felt when as the situation gets worse. Eventually, the only solution left would be to extract teeth. All teeth may have to be extracted in very severe cases that have been going on for years.
Periodontal pockets are treated depending on how severe they are. During their initial stages, the bone is usually still intact, but gum tissue is damaged. Gaps at stage measure 4-5 millimeters in depth. Formed calculus can be removed through a process called scaling and root planning. Pain may be felt during this process and some dentists dumb gums to avoid it.
Once this process is finished, one should not feel any pain. Plaque may start forming immediately if proper oral care is not done. It is recommended to brush and floss on a daily basis to keep plaque out. It may take some time, but the gums will move closer to the teeth at the root and health will be restored.
If gums are swollen, they may fail to shrink back into the original position. A dentist has to trim such gums back. A gingivectony is the instrument used for trimming gums backward. If not trimmed, the gums form spaces with teeth and recurrence of pockets is eminent.
Smoothening is done in case bone has been damaged so that reattachment of gum tissues to healthy bone is made easy. Pockets are 5-7 millimeters deep in moderate stages of the disease, This size makes scaling and planning insufficient, which makes exploitation of other options necessary. Normally flap surgery becomes the best approach for solving the problem.
Flap surgery creates space and an opening through which access can be gained to the depth for cleaning the deposit. Once the surgery is done, gum tissue never reconnects to the tooth easily. This leaves a gap that makes the only way to prevent a repetition of the problem making regular visits to a hygienist to keep cleaning the plaque out. Recovery in cases where the pockets are in an advanced stage is hard and usually the tooth may have to be removed.