Hi, Dr. Szarek;
I recently had periodontal scaling done due to gum disease. At my most recent maintenance appointment, however, the probing depths in some areas were not different than my previous appointment. Is this normal? Shouldn’t treatment have reduced the depths of the pockets or does this take more time?
Phyllis in Boston
Dear Phyllis;
In many cases, probing depths decrease over time. As the gums heal, some clinical reattachment of the gum is possible. However, this is not always the case, especially with deep pockets. It’s very important to keep up with regular periodontal maintenance appointments even after successful root planing. If a patient has pockets of 7 to 8 millimeters, it will be almost impossible to get these pockets routinely clean with flossing. Frequent professional cleanings will be necessary to continue to keep this area free of bacteria and debris. Over time, these deep pockets might be reduced by about 1 to 3 millimeters, if they are kept free of disease.
Sometimes, if the pocket depth does not change, it can be a sign that there is periodontal disease remaining, especially if there is still bleeding at the probing site. It might be that surgery is needed to completely address the problem.
However, in your situation, as long as your dentist is not recommending further treatment, we recommend continuing to keep up with maintenance appointments and maintaining good oral hygiene and give your gums more time.
This post brought to you by Lowell general and cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.