At Brookline Dental Specialists, periodontal care is an important part of our comprehensive approach to protecting your oral health. Our periodontal specialist, Dr. Yong Hur, works closely with our highly trained hygiene team to create individualized maintenance plans designed around your individual needs.
Periodontal Disease Requires Ongoing Management
Periodontal disease, also called gum disease, is caused by bacteria and inflammation that affect the gums and supporting structures around the teeth. In its more advanced form, periodontitis can damage the tissues and bone that support your teeth.
One of the most important things for patients to understand is that once periodontitis has developed, it does not simply disappear after the initial treatment is completed. The goal of periodontal therapy is to control the disease, reduce harmful bacteria and inflammation, stabilize the condition, and preserve your natural teeth and supporting bone.
In our practice we design a personalized “perio-maintenance plan,” which may include more frequent professional cleanings and, when necessary, scaling and root planing to remove bacteria and buildup below the gumline. That is why periodontal maintenance is not an optional extra, it is an important part of protecting the results of your treatment.
Why Four Visits a Year May Be Recommended
For many patients with a history of periodontal disease, periodontal maintenance appointments are scheduled approximately every three months, or four times a year. This is more frequent than the traditional twice-yearly cleaning recommended for many patients without periodontal disease.
Why?
Because periodontal bacteria can begin accumulating again between appointments. Regular maintenance gives your dental team an opportunity to:
- Remove plaque and calculus that cannot be completely eliminated with brushing and flossing alone
- Monitor the health of your gums and supporting tissues
- Check for changes in pocket depths or signs of inflammation
- Reinforce effective home-care techniques
- Identify potential problems before they become more advanced
- Help maintain the results achieved through periodontal treatment
Some patients may need a different schedule depending on their disease severity, response to treatment, risk factors, and home-care habits.
Periodontal Maintenance Can Help Prevent More Extensive Treatment
One of the biggest reasons to stay consistent with periodontal maintenance is prevention. When periodontal disease is allowed to progress, damage can become increasingly difficult and expensive to treat. Advanced periodontal disease can contribute to bone loss, infection, gum recession, tooth mobility, and ultimately tooth loss.
Regular maintenance is an investment in keeping your periodontal condition stable rather than waiting until symptoms require more intensive intervention. Think of it much like managing any chronic health condition: the goal is not simply to treat the problem once, but to continually monitor and manage it.
Expert Periodontal Care with Dr. Yong Hur
At Brookline Dental Specialists, patients have the added advantage of diagnosis and treatment planning with our in-house periodontal specialist.
Dr. Yong Hur, D.D.S., D.M.D., M.S., is a periodontist and dental implant specialist who completed periodontal specialty training and a master’s degree at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. His advanced training focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease as well as implant dentistry.
Having a periodontist integrated into the BDS team also means that periodontal care can be coordinated with your general dental care and other specialty needs. Our multispecialty practice allows providers to communicate and collaborate when developing comprehensive treatment plans.
Your BDS Hygiene Team Is Part of Your Periodontal Care Team
Our hygienists play an especially important role in keeping periodontal disease under control.
The BDS hygiene team includes experienced hygienists who provide professional cleanings, periodontal evaluations, individualized home-care guidance, and ongoing maintenance. The practice emphasizes that regular hygiene appointments allow the team to monitor gum health and optimize a home-care plan specific to each patient.
Most importantly, periodontal maintenance at BDS is not a one-size-fits-all appointment. Your hygienist and Dr. Hur can work together to determine the appropriate level and frequency of care based on your periodontal health.
A Healthier Future Starts with Consistency
If you have been diagnosed with periodontal disease, don’t think of maintenance appointments as simply “another cleaning.” They are an important part of your long-term periodontal treatment plan.
With professional maintenance, excellent daily home care, and regular monitoring by your dental team, periodontal disease can be managed and your natural teeth can be protected for years to come!