Periodontal Maintenance

Beachwood, OH

Many of our patients suffer from periodontal disease, better known as gum disease or by the name of its first stage, gingivitis. That is why periodontal maintenance is so important. This special care aims to prevent and control gum disease. If you have dealt with that dental condition in the past, it is very likely we will recommend periodontal maintenance. The team at Aspire Dental Spa will help you keep periodontal disease under control so that you are healthy and pain-free.

Who Needs Periodontal Maintenance?

If you have suffered from gum disease in the past, you need to have a number of follow-up periodontal visits. These visits are in some ways similar to your six-month cleanings. However, you need to have them more often than twice a year, at least at first. While we will have done scaling and root planing on your teeth and gums to clean them, remove bacteria, and restore your gum health, these follow-up visits are necessary to ensure that gum disease has not returned. They are especially important if you were in the later stages of periodontal disease.

If you suffer from gingivitis, you may not need as many or any periodontal maintenance visits if it has not progressed. However, we may want you to come in for another cleaning earlier than six months just to make certain your gingivitis is under control. Every case is unique, so we will not be able to definitively say how many periodontal maintenance visits you will need. If you do not practice good oral hygiene in between these visits, you will likely need to come in more often.

What Occurs During Periodontal Maintenance Visits?

When you come in for a periodontal maintenance visit, you will find that it is quite similar to a cleaning. We begin with an exam of your mouth and especially your gums. We will check for signs that your periodontal disease has returned by testing your gums and looking for new pockets around your teeth. As with a regular cleaning, we will remove the built-up plaque and any tartar from your teeth.

However, your periodontal maintenance visit will be a little longer than a cleaning because we will also go into the gums to clean out those pockets caused by gum disease. This is called a subgingival cleaning, and it ensures that you do not have a buildup of bacteria within your gums.

During this visit, we may need to do additional root planing if any of your teeth are loose. We also clean the gumline and the gum’s exterior to remove all bacteria. Depending on how severe your periodontal disease was and how sensitive your gums are, we may numb them before we begin cleaning so you are not in any pain. We may coat your gums with an antibiotic cream to help with the healing process, and we may need to do an x-ray to check on the state of your teeth and jawbone.

Contact Us To Learn More About Periodontal Maintenance

If you have noticed signs of gum disease, including loose teeth, red gums, or bleeding when you brush, you need to come in for an exam. Contact Aspire Dental Spa by phone at (216) 342-4388 to schedule your appointment.