Periodontal Maintenance Fort Wayne IN![]() What Is Periodontal Care and Maintenance?This is an ongoing program that works to prevent the advancement of periodontal disease in the gingival tissue and the bone supporting the teeth. It is necessary for people who have been treated for gum disease. Keeping up with your maintenance visits helps prevent additional dental issues from arising in the future, such as further bone deterioration and tooth loss. Why Is Periodontal Maintenance Necessary?Once you have developed gum disease, it will likely come back, even after treatment. Periodontitis is never cured; it is only managed or controlled. That is why it is crucial you have gum disease treated in its early stages when it has not progressed to periodontitis, the advanced and more serious form of gum disease. Without receiving supportive periodontal care, there is a chance that periodontal or gingival disease could relapse or come back. Again, periodontal structures, including the gingival tissue, ligaments, and bone, get compromised, thus risking tooth loss. Any relapse or recurrence of periodontal destruction would require repeat intensive treatment. What Does Periodontal Maintenance Involve?Four main stages are involved in periodontal maintenance therapy. A periodontist first assesses your periodontal status. The pockets are measured, and the level of bleeding, tooth mobility, and gum recession are checked. Your oral hygiene levels are also examined. If the gum disease has relapsed or if a new disease has set in, this can be determined from the measurements we take. If you comply with the recommended intervals for maintenance therapy, it is easier for our dentist to detect relapse or new disease early on. As such, it prevents having to get extensive, repeat treatments. Treatment is then offered for any remaining pockets that arise from existing gum disease or a relapse. Our periodontist rescales them again. We may administer local anesthetic for a comfortable experience while the rescaling is being conducted. The scaling of the entire mouth is done by removing biofilm, tartar, and bacteria from the gum pockets and the teeth. We then provide new instructions on oral hygiene that help reinforce the key practices for gum disease self-care and maintaining healthy gums and teeth. Finally, we do risk evaluation based on the measurements we take. This assessment helps determine how long you will wait before your next maintenance visit. Often, periodontal maintenance is done at an interval of three months but gradually extends based on how stable your condition stays between visits. We may advise you to visit us every four, six, or 12 months. A Name You Can Trust for Periodontal MaintenanceDo not let periodontal disease wreak havoc on your dental health. Visit us at Summit Dental Group to get periodontal treatment or receive your periodontal maintenance therapy. Contact us at 260-297-7081 to set up your appointment. |