What is periodontal maintenance?
Periodontal maintenance is recurring supportive therapy for patients who have been treated for periodontal disease, performed every 3–4 months to keep the disease stable. Each visit includes full-mouth probing to monitor pocket depths and bleeding, removal of bacterial plaque and calculus from above and below the gumline, polishing, and review of home care. Three-month intervals interrupt the bacterial recolonization cycle before pathologic populations re-establish.
Why maintenance matters
Studies consistently show that patients who attend regular periodontal maintenance after treatment maintain the gains they’ve made — bone levels stable, pockets shallow, teeth in place. Patients who don’t see recurrence rates above 50% within 5 years.
A standard 6-month dental cleaning isn’t the same thing. Maintenance includes deeper instrumentation, thorough probing to monitor for recurrence, and individualized attention to sites that have been previously treated.
What a maintenance visit includes
Full-mouth probing to monitor pocket depths and bleeding. Removal of bacterial plaque and calculus from above and below the gumline. Polishing and topical fluoride. Review of your home-care technique. Updated radiographs at appropriate intervals.
If we identify a site of recurrence early, we can address it before it requires re-treatment. Most issues caught at maintenance are managed in the same visit.
How often
Most periodontal patients are best served by 3- or 4-month intervals — every other appointment with us, every other with your general dentist. We coordinate the schedule with your dentist so you’re seen by one of us every 3 months and don’t fall through the cracks.
Common questions
Why every three months instead of every six?
Bacterial recolonization to disease-causing levels happens within about 12 weeks. Three-month maintenance interrupts that cycle before pathologic populations can re-establish.
Does insurance cover it?
Most dental plans cover periodontal maintenance, often at the same level as a standard prophy. Some plans require alternating with your general dentist; we coordinate as needed.