Periodontal Maintenance | Tidewater Laser Perio and Implants

Woman in dental chair receiving periodontal maintenance cleaning treatment

Supportive Periodontal Care

After you have completed the active phase of periodontal treatment with Dr. Cavallari, your periodontal disease will be under control. He will provide you with a personalized maintenance program of care to keep your gums healthy.

Maintenance therapy is an ongoing program designed to prevent disease in the gum tissues and bone supporting your teeth. Adherence to a program of conscientious oral home care and regularly scheduled maintenance therapy visits with your dentist, and Dr. Cavallari, will give you an excellent chance of maintaining your existing teeth.

Periodontal Maintenancewhy Is Supportive Periodontal Care Important?

As you have learned, you are susceptible to gum disease. And, you have probably learned, too, that the main cause of gum disease is bacterial plaque, a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. The bacteria in this plaque produce toxins, or poisons, which constantly attack your gums and teeth. Unless plaque is removed, it hardens into a rough, porous deposit called calculus, or tartar. Daily brushing and flossing will help to minimize the formation of calculus, but it won’t completely prevent it. No matter how careful you are in cleaning your teeth and gums, bacterial plaque can cause a recurrence of gum disease from two to four months after your last professional cleaning. Therefore, a dental professional must check for hidden problems and remove the hardened plaque at time intervals appropriate for you so that your teeth and gums stay healthy.

Who Should Perform Supportive Periodontal Therapy?

The answer depends on you and the severity of your gum disease before treatment. Generally, the more severe your periodontal disease is initially, the more often we need to oversee your care. Together, you, your general dentist, and Dr. Cavallari will work out the most effective schedule for your supportive periodontal care.

Your maintenance/supportive periodontal care visit may include:

Discussion of any changes in your health history
Examination of your mouth tissues for abnormal changes
Measurement of the depth of pockets around your teeth
Assessment of your oral hygiene habits and provision of instruction
Removal of bacterial plaque and tartar
X-ray film studies to evaluate your teeth and the bone supporting your teeth
Examination of your teeth for decay and other dental problems
Checkup on the way your teeth fit together when you bite
Application or prescription of medications to reduce tooth sensitivity or other problems you may have

How Often Should You Have Supportive Periodontal Care Visits?

Your periodontal condition is the deciding factor. The interval between your supportive periodontal care (SPC) visits might be as often as every few weeks or as frequent as every six months. Everyone’s situation is different. The frequency of your supportive care visits will be influenced by:

The type of periodontal disease you have
The type of periodontal treatment you have
Your response to treatment
Your rate of plaque growth
Your personal commitment to good oral care at home

What Is the Relationship Between Your Dentist and Your Periodontist?

Your dentist and Dr. Cavallari work together as a team to provide you with the best possible care. They combine their experience to formulate the best maintenance plan for you and will keep each other informed about your progress. Although a periodontist may see you periodically for maintenance therapy, you will need to see your general dentist as well. Appointments for periodontal maintenance do not replace regular dental checkups. If Dr. Cavallari or a hygienist detects tooth decay during a maintenance visit, you will be referred to your general dentist for treatment. Your general dentist is primarily responsible for your overall dental health, including such dental needs as fillings, new or recurrent cavities or making changes in fillings, crowns or bridges.

To prevent periodontal disease, the major cause of tooth loss in adults—and keep your natural teeth for your lifetime—carefully and conscientiously follow the guidelines of the maintenance program that Dr. Cavallari recommends. Protecting your periodontal health through preventive maintenance has great benefits for you, such as:

You will be able to chew with more comfort.
You will be able to smile and speak with greater confidence.
You will be able to keep dental costs down by preventing future problems.

Your commitment to maintenance therapy is your commitment to your better oral health.

Frequently Asked Questions About Periodontal Maintenance

Periodontal maintenance is an ongoing professional cleaning program designed specifically for patients who have been treated for gum disease. Unlike a routine prophylaxis cleaning performed at a general dental office, periodontal maintenance visits with Dr. Cavallari include a comprehensive evaluation of your gum tissue, measurement of periodontal pocket depths, removal of bacterial plaque and calculus from above and below the gum line, and monitoring for any signs of disease recurrence. It is a more thorough, medically necessary level of care for patients who are susceptible to gum disease.

Once you have been treated for periodontal disease, the disease is under control — but it is not cured. You remain susceptible to bacterial plaque, which can cause gum disease to return as quickly as two to four months after your last professional cleaning. Periodontal maintenance is designed to prevent recurrence by keeping plaque and calculus levels in check, catching any early warning signs before they progress, and supporting the long-term health of your gum tissue and jawbone.

Each maintenance visit is comprehensive and personalized. It typically includes a review of any changes in your medical or health history, examination of your mouth tissues for abnormal changes, measurement of periodontal pocket depths, assessment of your home oral hygiene habits with personalized instruction, removal of bacterial plaque and tartar, x-ray studies to evaluate teeth and supporting bone, examination for decay and other dental problems, evaluation of your bite, and application or prescription of medications if needed to address sensitivity or other concerns.

The frequency depends on your individual situation. Supportive periodontal care visits may be scheduled as often as every few weeks or as infrequently as every six months, though most patients are seen every three to four months. The interval is determined by factors including the type and severity of your periodontal disease, the type of treatment you received, how quickly plaque builds up, your response to treatment, and your commitment to daily oral hygiene at home. Dr. Cavallari will work with you to establish the schedule that best protects your results.

Both play an important role. Dr. Cavallari and your general dentist work together as a team to provide the most complete care possible. While periodontal maintenance visits are typically shared between your periodontist and your general dentist, the severity of your original gum disease influences how this is divided. Generally, the more severe your initial periodontal disease, the more frequently Dr. Cavallari will need to oversee your care. Both providers keep each other informed about your progress to ensure continuity of treatment.

Periodontal maintenance visits are not interchangeable with routine dental cleanings. Because you are susceptible to gum disease, the level of monitoring and care provided at a standard prophylaxis visit is not sufficient to protect your results. Skipping or reducing the frequency of your periodontal maintenance visits significantly increases the risk of disease recurrence, further bone loss, and ultimately tooth loss. Staying on your prescribed maintenance schedule is the most important thing you can do to preserve your periodontal health long-term.

Patients who consistently follow their periodontal maintenance program experience significant benefits. You will be better able to chew with comfort, smile and speak with confidence, and avoid the cost and complexity of retreatment by preventing future problems. More importantly, protecting your periodontal health protects your overall health — research consistently links untreated periodontal disease to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes complications, and respiratory conditions.

Many dental insurance plans, including Delta Dental, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Humana, recognize periodontal maintenance as a distinct and necessary level of care and provide coverage separate from routine cleanings. Coverage frequency and patient responsibility vary by plan. Our team at Tidewater Laser Perio and Implants will review your specific benefits and help you understand your coverage before your visits.