When you are selecting a dentist, you may notice various terms you are not familiar with, including the periodontist. This is a dentist who has received advanced training in treating gum disease. If you have a serious form of gum disease, you might need a pocket depth reduction procedure or a similar treatment.

Removing Bacteria and Restoring Your Bones

Pocket depth reduction is when your dentist opens up your gums so that disease-causing bacteria can then be removed. This is done to prevent the bacteria from spreading to the rest of your gums, which would make the condition even worse. Oral bacteria not only affects your oral health, but can also spread to other parts of your body and cause general health problems. Depending on how severe your gum disease condition was, you may also need bone recontouring to repair the damaged bone so that your healthy gum tissue can reattach to the bone. Otherwise, the loss of bone can cause your teeth to become too loose and you risk losing them. If you do not have the condition treated, you will also end up with an unattractive smile. Your gums will be bleeding and red. You may have poorly aligned teeth. You will also have gaps develop in your teeth.

After Surgery

After your periodontist has removed the bacteria, he or she will administer an antimicrobial liquid to remove any bacteria and to encourage healing. Afterward, your gums will be sewed back up and you'll be sent on your way with instructions on how to recover. You will want to take it easy after a pocket depth reduction surgery, so do not schedule too much following the surgery. When you lie down during the first day after the surgery, keep your head propped up with as many pillows as possible. For the first day, you are usually told not to rinse your mouth. Afterward, though, you should rinse your mouth as often as possible to keep it clean. Also, you will usually be prescribed antibiotics that you should take as instructed.

You will need to contact your periodontist quickly if you notice anything unusual the day after your surgery. For example, you may notice that you are still numb from your medication. Another common problem is to bleed heavily. Your dentist should explain to what extent bleeding will be normal and how to respond. However, if you bleed for longer than two days, you will want to tell your dentist such as Periodontal Specialists.