Normal, healthy gums have small pockets around each tooth. The bacteria and infection associated with gum disease (periodontitis) causes these pockets to become deeper, trapping more bacteria and causing bleeding, redness and bad breath. When the pockets become too deep, a pocket depth reduction procedure is often the best solution.
During a pocket depth reduction procedure, Dr. Froum removes the disease-causing bacteria and infection, then thoroughly cleans and smooths the tooth surfaces. He will then, if necessary, reshape the gum and bone and place a germ-killing antimicrobial material in the pockets. All this will allow the gums to heal, resulting in smaller, healthier pockets.