Periodontal Maintenance

Treating Gum Disease Early

If you have been diagnosed with gum disease, do not give up hope. Gum disease is effectively treated and controlled when caught early enough, and with regular maintenance, its progression can be stopped in its tracks. Your dentist will thoroughly explain all of your options for gum disease treatment. Their nurturing and comforting chair-side manner will ensure your treatments with us are as pleasant as possible.

Gum Disease Treatment at Our Office

It is important to continue to receive regular periodontal care at our office to control the progression of your periodontal disease. If left untreated, gum disease can lead to bone and tooth loss. Dental Care of Baltimore Owings Mills provides a variety of periodontal treatments for your convenience, including:

• Scaling and Root Planing: This treatment is very effective when your gum disease is caught in its early stages. In this deep cleaning procedure, hand and ultrasonic tools are used above and below the gum line to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth and root surfaces. Your roots will be smoothed to promote healing and reattachment of your gum tissue.
• Osseous Surgery: If your condition has not improved with scaling and root planning, your dentist might suggest osseous surgery. You will be numbed for the procedure, and your dentist will make an incision in your gums to expose your roots for cleaning. Plaque and tartar deposits are removed, and your roots and bone tissue are smoothed to promote reattachment of your gums. Your gum tissue is trimmed and sutured so that the healing process may begin.
• Periodontal Maintenance: If you have been treated for gum disease, it is important that you see your dentist and your hygienist for periodontal maintenance cleanings to control the progression of the disease. Periodontal maintenance is an ongoing program involving thorough cleanings every three to four months to control/reduce pocket depths. During these appointments, antibiotics may be placed beneath the gum line or your tissues might be irrigated with anti-microbial medications.

Supportive Periodontal Care

After your dentist has completed the active phase of periodontal treatment, your periodontal disease will be under control. They 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 home oral care and regularly scheduled maintenance therapy visits with your dentist will give you an excellent chance of keeping your teeth for your lifetime.

Why 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. Your general dentist and your Periodontist 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.

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?

Together, you, your general dentist and your Periodontist will work out the most effective schedule for your supportive periodontal care. They 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 your doctor 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 filling 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 your dentist recommends. Protecting your periodontal health through preventive maintenance has great benefits for you. You will be able to chew with more comfort, and 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.

To learn more about your options for gum disease treatment and to schedule an appointment, please call our office today.