Pocket formation 3 years after comprehensive periodontal therapy. A retrospective study

The records of 50 adult patients were studied to determine the incidence of pocket formation 3 years following periodontal therapy. These patients were treated at the Post-graduate Periodontal Clinic of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and were subsequently placed on a 3-month maintenance schedule. A total of 1080 teeth with probing depths of 3 mm or less at the end of active therapy were examined. Before treatment 305 teeth (28.2%) had probing depths of 1 to 3 mm, 480 (44.4%) had depths of 4 to 5 mm and 295 (27.4%) had depths of 6 mm or more. Three years after active treatment 944 teeth (87.4%) had probing depths of 1 to 3 mm, 110 (10.2%) had 4 to 5 mm depths and 26 (2.4%) had depths of 6 mm or more. Pockets developed more frequently in maxillary than mandibular teeth, in molars more than in any other tooth type and in those teeth which before treatment had pockets of 6 mm or more. Pockets were less likely to develop in patients with good plaque control and in patients below the age of 40.