Pocket Reduction/Osseous Surgery

Treatment

After establishing a diagnosis that defines the severity of your gum disease, we can develop a personalized treatment plan. In milder forms with little or no bone loss, one or two visits with our hygiene team may bring the condition under control. When you leave our office with a strategy for daily home care and an established professional maintenance schedule, little additional treatment may be needed.

If the inflammation has advanced and measurable bone loss is evident, a proactive approach to stop further deterioration should be strongly considered. Often, we will suggest gentle numbing of your gums and root planing or scaling. Over a few visits, a portion of your mouth at a time will be deep cleaned. The infected pocket around each tooth, including the mineralized tartar, must be carefully cleaned out with both hand and ultrasonic instruments. Polishing the teeth to create smooth surfaces that help repel stain and plaque accumulation usually finishes this initial therapy.

Dr. Dong may suggest a medicated rinse, an electric or ultrasonic toothbrush, and other specific strategies to help you with your home care routine. Remember, gum disease can be controlled but not cured. Consistent home care is required to control the disease.

If persisted deep pockets and bone loss are still noted after initial periodontal therapy, pocket reduction or osseous surgery may be required to further treat advanced periodontal diseases. Osseous surgery also referred to as pocket reduction surgery is a procedure that is typically used to treat advanced periodontal disease. This usually involves gaining access to the root portion and alveolar bone surrounding teeth to enable removal of tenacious tartar and bacterial plaque around tooth roots to prevent disease-causing bacteria(s) from spreading and causing the loss of teeth, jawbone or cause other serious systemic health issues.   This procedure also involves reshaping deformities in the alveolar bone and eliminating deep pockets surrounding the teeth and in the process allowing better access for patient’s home care and thus prevent worsening of periodontal disease.  In some cases with deeper and larger defects, Bone grafting may also be necessary to fill these defects and help regenerate bone that’s supporting teeth or implants. 

REPAIR(TM) Perio with Waterlase