[Modified Widman flap--a standard method]

The modified Widman flap offers such clinical advantages over root planing as root visualization. Treating periodontal pockets, which after preliminary treatment show a depth of 4 mm and more and remaining sulcus bleeding upon probing we obtained with this procedure a reduction of pocket depths and of gingival inflammation and gain of clinical attachment. The maintenance of these results as well as the further loss of attachment are directly related to the frequency of the maintenance recall appointments. The success of this procedure does not depend on the age of the patients. The healing following this procedure is normally achieved after 21 days and is by a long junctional epithelium, which may be seen as a stable treatment success.