What can indicate successful tissue healing after SRP?

Successful tissue healing after Scaling and Root Planing (SRP) is indicated by several positive changes in the periodontal environment. Reduced probing depths is a key indicator of successful healing. This reduction suggests that inflammation in the periodontal tissues has decreased and that the soft tissue is reattaching to the tooth structure. When probing depths decrease, it often reflects improved health of the periodontal tissues, which is a primary goal of SRP.

Typically, after SRP, one expects the elimination of subgingival plaque and calculus, allowing the tissues to heal and reestablish more stable conditions around the tooth. This healing process often results in reduced probing depths, signifying less pocket space due to the shrinkage of inflamed tissue and a return to healthier, less inflamed states.

Stable attachment levels and the absence of persistent edematous tissue are also signs of healing, but they do not directly indicate reduction in disease or improvement as clearly as reduced probing depths. Increased pocket depths would signal a worsening condition, which is the opposite of what one would look for in successful treatment outcomes. Thus, reduced probing depths best reflects the positive response of tissues post-treatment.