It’s certainly a top priority for us. Dr. Levingart, at LivingArt Dentistry, offers periodontal maintenance to promote health and wellness and prevent re-infection.
Signs you may need a deep cleaning (SRP):
- Continuous bleeding when brushing and flossing
- Foul odor to your breath that isn’t freshened by mouthwash
- Red, puffy inflamed gums that lack a healthy stippled appearance
- Large black triangles between your teeth which represents bone loss
- Deep pockets where food and bacteria get caught beneath your gums
Your deep cleaning may be completed in one-two visits
After a full examination and routine dental prophylaxis is completed, accompanied by a full set of dental xrays and full mouth pocket depth assessment, you will be scheduled to start your quadrant scaling and root planing.
After full local anesthesia is achieved, a combination of ultrasonic instruments and hand scalers will be used to gently, yet efficiently rid your teeth of this harmful buildup. The procedure typically lasts 60 mintues and all steps will be taken to ensure comfort during the entire procedure. If broken up into two separate appointments, the doctor will prescribe a medicated mouthrinse that is proven to improve healing to your tissues in the week between your appointments.
Once completed, your Periodontal maintenance visits are essentially deep cleanings that keep your mouth fresh and healthy. Scheduled every three to four months, the visits allow us to clean your teeth below the gum line, at the root surface. Dr. Levingart can also monitor the oral environment for any changes that may indicate a reoccurrence. We will assess pocket depth reduction, overall health of tissue and home maintenance. If necessary, an antibiotic specific to periodontal bacteria may be recommended (Arestin) in order to target the more malignant bacteria in the pocket and lower the overal bacterial load. It is suggested to stay on a three-four month recall for routine dental cleanings until the bacteria is removed, your home care has improved, and pockets have decreased to a manageable depth. We will guide you through every step of the way.