Periodontal Maintenance
Fort Smith, AR
Here at Harper Dental, we recognize the dangers of gingivitis and periodontal disease, which is why we recommend regular periodontal maintenance. Periodontal maintenance is a process of cleaning carried out to clean the teeth carefully. Maintenance is a significant dental treatment for stopping periodontal disease progression.
Periodontal disease can appear when bacteria settle on the gum tissue, either right above the gumline or underneath it. These colonies of bacteria can result in swelling and irritation, which can end up triggering a chronic inflammatory response in your body.
Your body will start to attach and destroy the affected bone tissue and gums, which will result in your teeth moving out of place, destabilizing, or fall out altogether. If left untreated, the pockets forming in the gums can deepen, leaving space for more bacteria that can end up reaching the bloodstream and infecting other parts of your body.
Reasons for Periodontal Maintenance
These cleaning sessions have many benefits for a healthier mouth. They can help remove tartar and plaque build-up that can result in periodontal disease. Not even the best homecare can eliminate all of that debris, so you need our experienced team and specialized equipment to spot the problems and remove them.
Aesthetically, it’s hard to enjoy a smile if it’s stained yellow, so maintenance can help remove the stains so you can feel confident at all times. Additionally, it will also improve your breath by removing any particles and debris that cause halitosis.
What Happens During Periodontal Maintenance?
Periodontal maintenance has many stages, the first one being supragingival cleaning. This means that we’ll deep clean everything above the gumline using tools to remove tartar and plaque build-up.
Subgingival cleaning is the second stage, and the most important one for patients already suffering from periodontal disease. It allows us to properly remove bacteria and tartar that has set in pockets in your gums and underneath the gumline.
We will then move on smoothing the roots of your teeth since this helps eliminate bacteria that can be very dangerous if left unattended. Afterward, we’ll place antibiotic cream in every gum pocket to promote speedy and healthy healing and recovery. These will reduce any possible discomfort.
Then, after we’re done, we’ll need routine x-ray tests to reveal the severity of gum and bone recession. This can also help us identify any areas that might need attention in the future, so we can continue to monitor and avoid periodontal disease.
We recommend that you get periodontal maintenance every three or four months since getting them regularly can remove bacteria hiding underneath the gumline and avoid (or control) possible swelling. It can also help prevent future breakdown of the gums and bone that support your teeth.
Learn more about Periodontal Care
Gum disease can’t be completely undone, but through periodontal maintenance, we can put it a stop to its destruction. For more information about periodontal maintenance or to schedule your first appointment, call the experienced professionals here at Harper Dental at (479) 431-0280 today! We look forward to taking your call. |
