Normal, healthy gums have small pockets around each tooth. The bacteria and infection associated with periodontitis cause these pockets to become deeper, trapping more bacteria and causing more infection. When the pockets become too deep for scaling and root planing, a pocket depth reduction procedure is often a solution.
During a pocket depth reduction procedure, Dr. Petrosky gently folds back the gum and removes the disease-causing bacteria and infection. Dr. Petrosky will then smooth the root surfaces and, if necessary, reshape the gum and bone. This will allow the gums to form smaller, healthier pockets.