Dental plaque accumulates constantly and it is important to ensure that it is removed thoroughly and regularly to keep periodontal disease under control. Without continued care, gum disease is likely to progress.
To keep your gum disease under control you will need to continue with:
Excellent oral hygiene. It will be important to continue with twice daily tooth brushing. You will also need to remove plaque in between the teeth everyday with floss and interdental brushes. Your Periodontist or Hygienist will recommend the best tools for you to use and will closely monitor your cleaning technique.
Professional maintenance care will be required to control, monitor and prevent the progression of periodontal disease.
What will my Maintenance Visits Involve?
Your maintenance visits will involve:
- Reviewing the health of your gums. The Periodontist or Dental Hygienist will look for signs of active gum disease, including bleeding of the gums, deepening of the pockets around the teeth and build-up of plaque and calculus on the teeth and tooth roots. They will also assess the appearance and firmness of your gums.
- Monitoring any receding of the gums;
- Monitoring the mobility of your teeth;
- Thorough removal of plaque and calculus from the teeth and root surfaces, both above and below the gum line;
- Addressing any areas where active gum disease is detected;
- Addressing how your mouth is feeling and any concerns you may have about your teeth and gums (eg. sensitivity of your teeth);
- Reviewing how you are going with your home care (i.e. brushing and cleaning in between your teeth) and helping you maintain excellent oral hygiene; and
- Determining if there are any areas of active gum disease, in which case it may be necessary for the Periodontist to carry out further treatment for you.
AIRFLOW® Technology for Periodontal Maintenance
At Kew Periodontics, our Dental Hygienists use AIRFLOW® technology as part of periodontal maintenance care where appropriate. AIRFLOW® uses a controlled stream of warm water, air and fine powder to remove bacterial biofilm and surface staining from the teeth, including areas that can be difficult to access with conventional polishing.
Removing biofilm is an important part of maintaining periodontal health following treatment for gum disease. AIRFLOW® can be used both above the gum line and, with appropriate techniques and powders, in selected areas below the gum line. It can also be particularly useful when maintaining dental implants and implant restorations.
AIRFLOW® does not replace all conventional periodontal instrumentation. Where hardened calculus is present, our hygienists will use appropriate ultrasonic or hand instruments as required. Treatment is therefore tailored to the individual condition of your teeth, gums and dental implants.
Our aim is to provide thorough, comfortable and minimally invasive periodontal maintenance, while closely monitoring the stability of your gum health over time.
How Often will I Need to Receive Periodontal Maintenance Care?
Your Periodontist will advise you as to how often your maintenance visits are needed. The frequency of your visits will be determined by several factors, including:
- Your level of plaque control;
- The severity of your periodontal disease;
- How stable your gums have been over time; and
- Your level of susceptibility, which is influenced by factors such as smoking and diabetes.
Do I Still Need to see my General Dentist?
Yes. Your general dentist will need to see you for regular dental check-ups even when you are seeing a Periodontist. Most dentists recommend a check-up every six months, however, you will need to discuss this with your own dentist.
If you have any questions or would like an opinion about your periodontal maintenance care, please feel free to contact us.
Alternatively, call 03 9853 7700 directly to speak with one of our friendly treatment co-ordinators, or to request an appointment with a periodontal maintenance specialist.
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