debridement /debrēdmäN′/ [Fr, debridle, remove] , 1. the removal of dirt, foreign objects, damaged tissue, and cellular debris from a wound or a burn to prevent infection and to promote healing. In treating a wound, debridement is the first step in cleansing. It also allows thorough examination of the extent of the injury. In treating a burn, debridement of the eschar may be performed in a hydrotherapy bath. −debride, v. 2. (in dentistry) the removal of all supragingival and subgingival biofilms, calculus, plaque-retentive anomalies, and diseased root surfaces that harbor bacteria.
