Periodontal Probing
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Your dentist uses a probe to assess the health of your gums. Here you can see how the probe works.
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A Healthy Tooth
The probe does not reach very far under the gum, indicating that the gums around this tooth are firm and healthy.
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Gingivitis
The probe reaches further under the gum into a "periodontal pocket," showing that the gums are beginning to detach from the tooth because of gingivitis, the early stage of gum disease.
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Periodontitis
More advanced gum disease — periodontitis — has caused the gums to detach further from the tooth so the probe sinks deeper into the pocket.
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Gum and Bone Erosion
The probe depth alone can't tell the whole story. Even though the gums around this tooth are severely diseased, the probe doesn't sink as deeply because the gums have eroded. The bone is disappearing, too.
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