Healthy gums fit snugly around your teeth, creating pockets that are just 1-3 millimeters deep. When gum disease progresses, these pockets can deepen to 5, 6, or more millimeters, trapping bacteria and making it impossible to clean them at home. Pocket reduction surgery is a way to address this problem when deep cleaning alone isn't enough.
During the procedure, we carefully fold back the gum tissue to access the area below and remove tartar and damaged tissue. Then we reshape the bone and gum to create shallower, healthier pockets. This makes it much easier for you to keep these areas clean at home and gives your gums a better chance to stay healthy.
Reducing pocket depth is critical because deep pockets are a sign that infection is damaging the bone supporting your teeth. By eliminating these pockets, we slow bone loss and help your teeth stay secure long-term.