What is Maintenance Therapy?
Maintenance therapy is an ongoing program
designed to prevent disease in the gum tissues and bone supporting your teeth.
The building blocks of this program are simple: conscientious care of your mouth
at home and regular maintenance visits with your dentist and periodontist.
Why is Maintenance Therapy Important?
The main cause of gum disease is bacterial
plaque, a sticky, colorless film that constantly forms on your teeth. Toxins (or
poisons) produced by the bacteria in plaque constantly attack your gums and
teeth. If the plaque is not removed, it hardens into a rough porous deposit
called calculus, or tartar. Daily oral hygiene including brushing and flossing
will keep the formation of calculus to a minimum, 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. To keep your teeth and gums healthy, a
dental professional must check for potential hidden problems and remove the
hardened plaque at a time interval appropriate for you.
Who Should Perform Maintenance Care?
The answer depends upon the patient and the
severity of the disease prior to treatment. Generally, the more severe your
initial problem, the more the periodontist needs to oversee your care. The
responsibility for periodontal maintenance will be worked out between you, your
general dentist and your periodontist.
What is Included in a Maintenance Visit?
Your maintenance visit may include:
- discussing any changes in your health history
- examining your mouth tissues for abnormal
changes
- measuring the depth of pockets around the
teeth
- assessing your oral hygiene habits and
providing instruction
- cleaning your teeth to remove bacterial plaque
and calculus
- taking necessary x-rays to evaluate the teeth
and the bone supporting the teeth
- examining your teeth for decay and other
dental problems
- checking the way your teeth fit together when
you bite
- applying or prescribing medications to reduce
tooth sensitivity or other problems
How Often Should I Have Maintenance
Visits?
This decision is based upon your periodontal
condition. The interval between maintenance visits varies between patients from
every few weeks to every six months. Everyone's situation is different. The
frequency of maintenance visits will be influenced by:
- different types of periodontal diseases
- different types of periodontal treatment
- different patient response to treatment
- different rates of plaque growth
Last, but certainly not least, the frequency of
your maintenance visits will be influenced by your personal commitment to good
oral care at home.
What's the Relationship Between my
General Dentist and Periodontist?
Your dentist and 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. They keep each other informed
about your progress. The periodontist may see you periodically for maintenance
therapy, but you will need to see your general dentist as well. Periodontal
maintenance appointments are not meant to take the place of regular dental
check-ups. For example, if your periodontist detects tooth decay during a
maintenance visit, he or she would refer you to your general dentist for
treatment. Your general dentist is primarily responsible for your overall dental
health, including such dental needs as new or recurrent cavities or changes in
fillings, crowns or bridges.
Are Maintenance Visits Worth the Cost?
Without question! Maintenance visits help protect
your periodontal health and prevent future dental problems. By treating disease
in the early stages, you save dollars - and discomfort - in the long run. Simply
put, a maintenance visit is a wise investment in your dental health. If you have
dental insurance, it may pay for just one dental examination every six months.
'Because you are susceptible to periodontal disease, you may need to be seen
more often. So, you may need to cover the cost personally for some of your
maintenance visits.
Will I Be Protected From Unnecessary
X-Rays?
Your periodontist takes x-rays (or radiographs)
only when essential for the diagnosis of your periodontal health. The x-rays are
shared with your general dentist. X-rays shows aspects of your oral health that
a visual exam cannot. They aid in early detection of disease, an important part
of prevention. In most cases, a periodontist takes a full set of x-rays every
two to four years. Special cases may require more frequent x-rays.
| Periodontal
disease is the major cause of tooth loss in adults, affecting three
out of four people at some point in life. The best way to prevent
periodontal disease - and keep your teeth for a lifetime - is to
carefully follow the guidelines of your maintenance therapy program.
Protecting your periodontal health brings many benefits. You can chew
with more comfort. You can smile and speak with greater confidence.
You can keep dental costs down by preventing future problems. A
commitment to maintenance therapy is a commitment to better health. |
