The gum tissue forms a collar around your teeth much like a turtleneck around your neck. The gums attach to the tooth, just above the bone levels, at the base of the collar. The distance from the top of the collar to the base makes a “pocket” around the tooth. When the gum tissues become inflamed, this supporting tissue and bone can be destroyed causing the attachment to migrate down the root. As the disease progresses, these pockets become deeper, providing a larger space for bacteria in plaque to live. As the bacteria in plaque advances under the gum tissue, it will become more difficult to remove with daily home oral hygiene and professional maintenance and result in further bone and tissue loss. Eventually, if too much bone is lost, the teeth will need to be extracted.
Regeneration therapy is needed when the bone supporting your teeth has been resorbed creating “boney defects”. This procedure is aimed at regenerating lost bone and tissue which can help promote reduction of the pockets. During this surgical procedure, the gums are folded back to gain access to the boney defect enabling the removal previously inaccessible bacterial plaque and calculus. After the defect has been “cleaned out”, a bone graft material is placed into the defect, covered with a “membrane’, or barrier, and then the tissue is replaced over the graft.
Bone loss present
New bone regenerated
Periodontal surgery will help reduce the pocket depths around the teeth. Shallow pockets allow you access to bacteria with daily oral hygiene and professional maintenance care. Successful daily oral hygiene and frequent professional maintenance care increases your chances of keeping your natural teeth.
