Over time, these pockets become deeper, providing a larger space for bacteria to live. As bacteria develop around the teeth, they can accumulate and advance under the gum tissue. These deep pockets eventually collect even more bacteria, resulting in further bone and tissue loss. Eventually, if too much bone is lost, the affected teeth are beyond repair and will need to be extracted.
In some cases, irregular surfaces of the damaged bone are smoothed to limit areas where disease-causing bacteria can hide. This allows the gum tissue to better reattach to healthy bone.