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Periodontal diseases take on many different forms but are usually a result of a coalescence of bacterial plaque biofilm accumulation of the red complex bacteria (e.g., P. gingivalis, T. forsythia, and T. denticola) of the gingiva and teeth, combined with host immuno-inflammatory mechanisms and other risk factors that can lead to the destruction of the supporting bone around natural teeth.
Untreated, these diseases can lead to alveolar bone loss and tooth loss. As of 2017, these continue to be one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults.[where?][citation needed] Daily brushing and flossing are a way to help prevent periodontal diseases.
Scaling and root planing is a careful cleaning of the root surfaces to remove plaque and calculus [tartar] from deep periodontal pockets and to smooth the tooth root to remove bacterial toxins. Scaling and root planing is sometimes followed by adjunctive therapy such as local delivery antimicrobials, systemic antibiotics, and host modulation, as needed on a case-by-case basis.
Most dentists would agree that after scaling and root planing, many patients do not require any further active treatment. However, the majority of patients will require ongoing maintenance therapy to sustain health.
When we first find periodontal disease, we treat it with scaling and root planing to remove plaque, tartar and bacteria from beneath your gum line. This treatment disrupts the growth of the bacteria; however, some bacteria remain and may settle back into the pocket where they reproduce. In fact, the number of bacteria doubles every time they reproduce, reaching destructive levels in as few as 90 days.
While there is no cure for periodontal disease, it can be managed or controlled. A 3-4 month periodontal maintenance therapy appointment is a soft tissue management program that is a non-surgical approach to control periodontal disease. It is the most conservative approach to prevent more extensive and aggressive treatment.
