What are pockets? Pockets are the characteristic lesion of periodontal disease. The inflammatory process in periodontal disease attacks the gum and bone supporting tissues of the teeth. The gums loosen their attachment, and bacteria invade below the gum and grow down along the root surface of the tooth. The gums continue to separate forming pockets where bacterial infection and resulting inflammation can remain undisturbed.

Periodontal Maintenance Periodontal maintenance is supervised dental hygiene treatment. Dental and gum cleanings are carried out under the care of our dental hygienists according to the protocol recommended by our doctors and by universally accepted clinical guidelines.

Patients with demonstrated periodontal disease susceptibility, previous periodontal treatment or family history should receive regular maintenance care. Periodontal maintenance is necessary to prevent recurrence of active periodontal disease and to control gum inflammation.

At the maintenance appointment we always inspect teeth and restorations for recurrent decay and other dental problems. X-rays are taken at designated intervals to examine bone levels and look more carefully for dental decay and other tooth related pathology. A careful mouth examination is performed and we also may recommend cancer screening. The specific interval between appointments depends on individual needs, but three months is regarded to be the gold standard.

Scaling and Root Planing This is the first treatment of gum disease ever to be described in dental literature. This conservative treatment modality is still today the gold standard for most types of gum disease.

Calcified bacterial products which form on the root surface are removed by special instruments (curettes) which are designed to fit below the gumline. This procedure is often performed by the dental hygienist. It may require the use of local anesthesia for more comfort. Antibiotics may be useful in conjunction with scaling and root planing.