# After curettage, re-epithelialization occurs in:
A. 1-2 days
B. 2-3 days
C. 2-7 days
D. Two weeks
The correct answer is C. 2-7 days.
Immediately after curettage, a blood clot fills the pocket area, which is totally or partially devoid of epithelial lining. Hemorrhage is also present in the tissues with dilated capillaries and abundant polymorphonuclear leukocytes, which appear on the wound surface. This is followed by a rapid proliferation of granulation tissue with a decrease in the number of small blood vessels as the tissue matures.
The restoration and epithelialization of the sulcus generally require 2 to 7 days, and restoration of the junctional epithelium occurs in animals as early as 5 days after treatment. Immature collagen fibers appear within 21 days. Healthy gingival fibers that are inadvertently severed from the tooth and tears in the epithelium are repaired during the healing process.
