The term for a pathologically deepened gingival sulcus is

The term for a pathologically deepened gingival sulcus is

• A. Periodontal Pocket
• B. Permanent Teeth
• C. Plaque
• D. Pontic

Answer: (A)

A periodontal pocket is the pathologically deepened gingival sulcus. In a healthy mouth the sulcus depth is about 1–3 mm; when disease causes attachment loss, the junctional epithelium migrates apically and detaches from the tooth surface, creating a true pocket around the tooth. This deeper space can harbor bacteria and is a sign of periodontal degeneration. The other terms don’t describe this deepening: plaque is the biofilm that initiates inflammation, a pontic is a false tooth on a bridge, and permanent teeth refer to mature dentition rather than sulcus depth.

A periodontal pocket is the pathologically deepened gingival sulcus. In a healthy mouth the sulcus depth is about 1–3 mm; when disease causes attachment loss, the junctional epithelium migrates apically and detaches from the tooth surface, creating a true pocket around the tooth. This deeper space can harbor bacteria and is a sign of periodontal degeneration. The other terms don’t describe this deepening: plaque is the biofilm that initiates inflammation, a pontic is a false tooth on a bridge, and permanent teeth refer to mature dentition rather than sulcus depth.