What is Periodontal Maintenance vs Regular Cleanings

You may have glanced at a bill from your dentist and found a big difference between the cost of periodontal maintenance and a regular cleaning. At HollowBrook Dental, your Colorado Springs dentist, we are sometimes asked about this, so we decided to explain these two dental procedures.

Periodontal maintenance is a procedure necessary after someone experiences at least some level of periodontal disease, a disease affecting the gums in your mouth. Patients may experience bleeding around the gums, develop gum pockets which must be carefully monitored, and some can suffer bone loss if the disease advances.

During periodontal maintenance, any gum pockets must be irrigated with antibacterial medications to prevent infection, and all plaque build up above and below the gum line must be removed. In some cases, periodontal maintenance is covered by your dental insurance.  Periodontal maintenance must be performed three or four times annually, to keep the disease in check.

A regular dental cleaning is the most common reason people visit their dentist twice each year. During this visit a preventative cleaning is performed.  This prevents the formation of cavities, and gum disease. During a regular cleaning, your hygienist will remove all plaque from your teeth, and look closely for the formation of any new cavities. If any are found, it will be necessary to schedule another appointment to fill those cavities.