Dental cleanings are not designed to serve the same purpose. Many patients are surprised to find that after coming to us for a cleaning, we do periodontal maintenance. Periodontal disease leads to many issues. It contributes to bone loss and the gum pockets get deeper, often extending to depths of more than 4 millimeters. You also experience bleeding gums and the root surfaces of the teeth are exposed.

Patients with these symptoms or those who have had surgery for periodontal disease or root planing will often require periodontal maintenance because the regular cleaning may not be enough. Our dentist will need to perform periodontal maintenance scaling in order to maintain healthy gum tissue and bones. Periodontal maintenance scaling involves the removal of tartar and plaque below and over the gumline. The dentist also removes plaque and tartar in areas reaching down to the junction of the gum, root, and bone. Smoothing over the rough areas is also part of the program. We monitor the pocket depths and if we find the pockets are inflamed we irrigate them with antibacterial medicines. Periodontal maintenance ensures that periodontal disease does not come back and is kept under control. Something to mention is that periodontal disease cannot be reversed, it can only be controlled.

Our dentist will determine how often you should come for periodontal maintenance. Often, it is recommended that you have it three to four times each year, but it depends on how fast tartar and plaque are forming or if there is bleeding in the gums, or if inflammation is present. Your commitment to oral care is also another factor that determines how frequently you should receive periodontal maintenance. Your health risk factors are another issue that we look at. The stability of the condition may also determine the frequency of periodontal care.