Pocket Reduction Surgery: How To Treat It

Pocket reduction surgery: Often, our teeth can be weakened by poor oral hygiene or old age. As for the younger adult, it’s most likely to be poor oral hygiene that allows bacteria to develop inside tooth gum or just some medical problem.

Older adults can suffer periodontal gum disease due to the weakness of their gum at that age and also poor management of their oral hygiene. So, if you are going through this and need pocket reduction surgery, read on as we take you through the process.

What Is Pocket Reduction Surgery?

Pocket reduction surgery, also known as Osseous Surgery, is a treatment procedure to repair the effect of periodontal gum disease. Periodontal disease can cause pockets to form between the tooth and gum. 

When this disease forms in the gum, it will cause pockets that can gather plaque and need treatment. When this disease is not severe, deep cleaning will be done by professional oral hygiene to treat it.

If non-surgical treatments can’t reduce pocket depth, surgery may be needed. Surgery on gum and bone can reduce pocket depth and save a tooth or teeth. It allows the dentist to remove tartar deep below the gum line. 

In some cases, pocket reduction surgery is combined with regenerative procedures. These are methods that stimulate new bone growth.

Benefits of pocket elimination surgery

Pocket reduction surgery has many benefits, including effectively eliminating bacteria, reducing inflammation, and saving teeth. 

Pocket reduction surgery helps your teeth with the following:

Limits bacterial spread – Oral bacteria has been connected to many other severe conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Oral bacteria can travel to various body parts from inside the bloodstream and begin colonizing. It is important to decrease bacteria in the mouth to reduce the risk of secondary infection.

Halting bone loss – The chronic inflammatory response induced by oral bacteria leads the body to destroy bone tissue. As the jawbone becomes affected by periodontal disease, the teeth lose their rigid anchor. When the teeth become too loose, they may require extraction.

Facilitate home care – As the gum pockets become progressively deeper, they become complicated for the patient to clean. The toothbrush and dental floss cannot reach the bottom of the pockets, increasing the risk of further periodontal infections.

Enhancing the smile – An oral cavity affected by periodontal disease is not attractive to the eye. Smiles may be marred by brown gums, rotting teeth, and ridge indentations. Pocket reduction surgery halts gum disease progression and improves the smile’s aesthetics.

Pocket reduction surgery procedure

A surgeon cuts back your gums, removes the bacteria, and repairs damaged bone during the procedure. Pocket reduction surgery usually takes about 2 hours. A periodontist usually performs the surgery.

Your dentist may recommend pocket reduction surgery if you have severe gum disease that can’t be treated with antibiotics or root planing.

Here’s what you can expect during your surgery:

1. You’ll be given a local anesthetic to numb your gums.

2. The periodontist will make a small incision along your gum line. They’ll then fold back your gums and remove the bacteria underneath.

3. They’ll then smooth down any areas where the bone is damaged or irregularly shaped.

4. If your bone is severely damaged, a periodontal regeneration technique may need to be implemented. These techniques include bone grafts and guided tissue regenerative membranes.

5. Your gums will be sewn back and covered with a periodontal dressing to help manage the bleeding.

Pocket reduction surgery recovery

Pocket reduction surgery recovery takes approximately two to four weeks for most people to recover fully. You must visit your dentist within 7-10 days after the pocket elimination surgery for checkups during the healing process. 

Also, your dentist will remove any necessary stitches once your healing progresses.

How painful is pocket reduction surgery?

Osseous surgery, also known as pocket elimination surgery, is not painful during the procedure as you would be given a local anesthetic to numb the place.

There may be after-effect pains when the anesthetic wears off. Still, you will be given other painkillers to help your through the progress as you fully recover from the pocket elimination surgery.

Cost OF Gum pocket reduction surgery

The gum pocket reduction surgery procedure typically costs between $1000 and $3000 without insurance. Please understand that this is for guidance and that every case is different.

The breakdown of pocket reduction surgery costs is as follows:

• Rooth Scaling And Planing Per Tooth= $120
• Gum Flap Surgery Per Area= $1,000
• Bone Grafting = $1500-3000
• Pocket Reduction Per Area =$1000-$3000
• New Patient consultation= $88-$275
• Basic Cleaning= $65-$175
• X-Ray Per Tooth = $25-$150

 How long does pocket reduction surgery take?

 Pocket reduction surgery usually takes about 2 hours. A periodontist usually performs the surgery. Surgery is the only option if you have severe gum disease; your dentist may recommend pocket reduction surgery instead of the typical antibiotic and deep cleaning treatment.

Conclusion

Pocket reduction surgery is an effective way to combat advanced cases of periodontitis. If you have swelling or bleeding of the gums, it is better to contact your dentist for an appointment to find out if you have gum disease and to treat it before it gets worse and requires surgery to fix.

This article is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.