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.
Pockets usually form around the teeth and get deeper over time when not controlled. Severe damage is done by bacteria to bone and tissue. One starts to feel pain when the damage has reached severe levels. Teeth removal may be the only solution eventually. One can lose all their teeth in the mouth if they fail to get the problem under control.
Treatment for periodontal pockets depends on how worse the situation is. During early stages, usually the gum alone is infected by bacteria, but the bone is intact. Such pockets measure between 4 to 5 millimeters in depth. Scaling and root planning can be used to eliminate any calculus that may be formed. In cases where the pockets are tender, the gums may need to be numbed to avoid pain during the process.
Pain should stop immediately the process is complete. Plaque reforms if oral hygiene is not maintained properly. Better results will be achieved if flossing and brushing are done daily. Health is restored in a matter of months when gums shrink back to cover the gap.
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.
Damaged bone may have irregular surfaces that need to be smoothened so that gum tissue reattaches easily to healthy bone. In moderate cases, pockets measure between 5-7 millimeters and scaling and root planning is ineffective. Therefore, flap surgery is used.
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.
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