1133 Bryan Rd. O'Fallon, MO 63366
What is Periodontal Maintenance?
Periodontal maintenance is ideal for patients who have mild to moderate gum disease. Gum disease is an incredibly common dental disorder that causes the gums around the teeth to separate. In turn, small pockets form between the gums and the teeth, becoming an area where bacteria can thrive. In order to prevent the disease from getting worse due to this bacteria, a deeper dental cleaning done more regularly can be helpful.
Why would Periodontal Maintenance be needed?
Gum disease cannot be reversed, but it can be easily controlled. The way this is done is with the help of deeper dental cleanings. These cleanings involve clearing away bacteria and plaque buildup both above and below the gum line. This prevents the bacteria from causing further issues with infection, which could result in both tooth and bone loss.
Who is a candidate for Periodontal Maintenance?
In order to determine if you would benefit from periodontal maintenance, it's recommended that you come into our office for an examination. With the help of both an exam and series of x-rays, we can determine the level of gum disease and how much damage it's done to your oral health. If you have periodontal disease, it is absolutely crucial that you receive treatment for it so that it won't get worse. These deep dental cleanings should be done roughly every three months, depending on your needs.
What happens during Periodontal Maintenance?
We begin by administering a local anesthetic to numb one side of your mouth. We then use special tools, known as scalers, to clear away any and all debris from above and below the gum line. The roots are smoothed, or planed, so that the gums can heal more closely to them. This will help to close up the pockets and gaps between the gums and the teeth themselves. You will need to come back in to have the other side of the mouth treated in a similar manner. You may benefit from having these cleanings performed every few months to keep up with the disease and prevent it from getting worse.
If you would like to learn more about periodontal maintenance, call our office today to speak with one of our knowledgeable and friendly staff members for further assistance.