Daryl E. Malena DDS
  Periodontics
10838 Old Mill Road
Omaha, Nebraska 68154
402 330 4100

Periodontal maintenance visits (sometimes called "routine cleanings" or "recalls") are necessary to control some kinds of periodontal disease and prevent others from recurring.  The interval between these visits is as critical as the procedures that we do.

At one time the standard of care in dentistry was visits every six months, regardless of your dental history.  We now know that six months is fine for those who have never experienced any periodontal disease, but three months is critical for those who have.

When periodontal researchers began to study the feasibility of making vaccines for some of the more rapid periodontal pathogens, they made a remarkable discovery:  the control groups (the unvaccinated patients) seemed to also have vaccination effects!  The three month periodontal maintenance visit actually served as a natural vaccination and stopped the disease.  The three month periodontal maintenance interval is now the standard of care all over the world.

In most cases we prefer to alternate your maintenance visits with your general dentist.  After all, Dr. Malena does not restore teeth, and cavities happen at any age.  Sometimes this alternating schedule also helps you get better coverage from your insurance carrier, paying for visits at our office using a separate code.  Unfortunately, some insurance companies do not cover the standard of care for periodontal diseases.

A periodontal maintenance visit takes about one hour.  It includes oral cancer screening, oral hygiene, cavity and periodontal pocket checks and a careful cleaning.  We may also take X-rays, or place antibiotics in specific areas.  Most importantly for your periodontal health we determine whether your individual periodontal condition is stable and adjust are maintenance accordingly. 

Some patients have special requirements for maintenance visits.  Those with artificial heart valves or certain kinds of valve problems need prophylactic antibiotics at the time of the cleaning.  Patients with immunosuppression diseases, organ or bone marrow transplants or those undergoing chemotherapy may have more specific needs. Patients with recent artificial joints or cardiovascular surgery might also need antibiotic coverage for cleaning visits.

If you are in doubt about your need for antibiotics at dental appointments, call your physician.  The standard of care for these requirements changes frequently.  Here is a website that might help:

 http://www.dent.ucla.edu/pic/members/antibiotics/prophylaxis.html  

Select from the topics above, or use the Search feature to find what you are looking for. If you have questions, feel free to contact us.