Supportive Periodontal Care
After our team at Northeast Periodontal Specialists has completed the active phase of periodontal treatment, your periodontal disease will be under control. We will provide you with a personalized maintenance program of care to keep your gums healthy. Maintenance therapy is an ongoing program designed to prevent further 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 general dentist and our periodontists will give you an excellent chance of keeping your teeth for your lifetime. To learn more about periodontal maintenance, please contact our office in Worcester, MA today.
Why do I Need Supportive Care?
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 will not 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 2 – 4 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.
The Perioscope
The perioscope is a new technology developed for the treatment of periodontal disease. The perioscope is an endoscope that has been specifically designed to explore and visualize the pocket (space) under the gum of teeth involved with periodontitis. An image on a computer monitor shows the diseased tooth’s root surface. The perioscope enables the clinician to see the contents of the periodontal pocket and to analyze the root surface of the tooth for disease-causing bacterial accumulations (plaque and calculus).
The perioscope guides the clinician during the process of cleaning the root surface free of plaque and calculus – the treatment for periodontitis. It also allows the clinician to identify other problems (cracks, perforations, and other disease-causing flaws of the tooth root’s surface) that are located under the gum, and which previously required surgery to detect.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Prevention
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 recommended by our periodontists. 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. Please contact Northeast Periodontal Specialists in Worcester, MA to schedule a consultation with our team.
What is the relationship between your dentist and periodontist?
Your dentist and our periodontists at Northeast Periodontal Specialists 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. Although our periodontists 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 our periodontal team detects tooth decay during a maintenance visit, we will refer you 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.
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:
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The type of periodontal disease you have
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The type of periodontal treatment you have
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Your response to treatment
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Your rate of plaque growth
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Your personal commitment to good oral care at home
Who will perform my supportive care treatments?
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 our periodontists need to oversee your care. Together, you, your general dentist, and our team at Northeast Periodontal Specialists will work out the most effective schedule for your supportive periodontal care.
Your maintenance/supportive periodontal care visit may include:
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Discussion of any changes in your health history
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Examination of your mouth tissues for abnormal changes
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Measurement of the depth of pockets around your teeth
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Assessment of your oral hygiene habits and provision of instruction
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Removal of bacterial plaque and tartar
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X-ray film studies to evaluate your teeth and the bone supporting your teeth
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Examination of your teeth for decay and other dental problems
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Checkup on the way your teeth fit together when you bite
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Application or prescription of medications to reduce tooth sensitivity or other problems you may have