Periodontal Maintenance Procedure

Periodontal Maintenance Procedure

If you have‌ periodontal disease‚ you may need to see a dentist for regular periodontal maintenance treatments‚ even after your initial treatment is completed․ Periodontal‌ maintenance involves the removal of bacteria from your gums‚ and allows your dentist or hygienist to monitor changes to your condition that could indicate gum disease has returned or worsened․ It consists of a thorough examination and a localized treatment done depending on your periodontal‌ history․

The first‌ thing your dental hygienist will do when you come in for a maintenance appointment will be to assess the condition of your mouth‚ including the color and texture of your gums‚ bleeding‚ swelling, and recession․ Your provider may periodically measure the depth‌ of your periodontal pockets to monitor any changes in the tissues surrounding your teeth․

The next part of the appointment involves‌ scaling‚ which is the removal of bacterial deposits from teeth․ Plaque and calculus can form on the teeth at and below‌ the gum line‚ and in periodontal pockets․ At this time‚ the hygienist will use special instruments to clean those‌ areas and remove the buildup․

How often you need these more thorough cleanings, how long the treatments take, and how extensive the treatment will be will differ between patients․ If your periodontal disease is stable‚ maintenance cleaning may just be removal of deposits from previously diseased sites․ If your pockets are deeper or there is more buildup in certain areas‚ your hygienist may spend more time there․

You may feel some sensitivity during the procedure if you have gum recession or if you have large areas treated․ Your dentist can adjust the procedure and make recommendations to make you more comfortable․

After the calculus has been removed‚ your teeth may be polished to remove stains․ Your hygienist may also discuss your home oral care program and any areas where new plaque is forming on your teeth․ Because every mouth is different‚ the cleaning products or techniques recommended to you may be different from those recommended to another patient․

Periodontal maintenance visits may be more frequent than routine preventive cleanings․ Your dentist may recommend follow-up appointments every few months so that they can check your gums and clean your teeth before bacteria has a chance to build up․ How often you should have dental cleanings depends on your periodontal history‚ current gum disease status‚ and response to treatment․

These visits are also an opportunity for your dentist to check for problems․ If your dentist finds deeper pockets‚ more bleeding‚ swelling‚ or other changes‚ you may need additional periodontal treatment․ It is important to stay on top of any changes to avoid further damage to the tissues and bone that support your teeth․

You will need to brush twice daily and floss between your teeth every day between visits‚ though your team may suggest additional tools to assist if you have places that are difficult to reach․

If you have more questions about periodontal maintenance or how it could help you achieve better dental health, make an appointment with the dentist to see if periodontal maintenance is a part of the best treatment plan for you.

Related Article: What is Periodontal Maintenance?