Periodontal maintenance — the work that keeps the result.

Periodontal maintenance is a special kind of maintenance visit, set to your own periodontal risk profile — different from the routine six-monthly clean that healthy patients have at their general dentist. The appointment is all about evaluating whether your periodontal condition is stable. Tailored oral hygiene also forms part of this supportive care.

At each visit, we measure pocket depths, look for any sign of disease activity, refresh your home-care guidance, and clean the areas that need cleaning. The whole appointment is usually 45 to 60 minutes.

Once you've had periodontal disease, the susceptibility doesn't go away. Bacteria re-colonise the pockets within weeks of a professional cleaning, and the body's immune response to that bacteria is the factor that determines whether the disease progresses or stays controlled.

Structured recall — every three to six months, depending on your risk profile — is the most reliable evidence-based way to keep the disease controlled and the bone loss stable. Patients who maintain their schedule keep their teeth far longer than those who don't.

The recall interval is set during your final treatment review and adjusted over time based on how your gums are responding:

• High risk (3 months): a history of advanced disease, smoking, poorly controlled diabetes, or genetic predisposition.
• Moderate risk (4 months): treated periodontitis with residual pockets, or recurring inflammation.
• Moderate-low (6 months): treated disease with stable measurements and good home care.
• Low risk (annual review): gingivitis cases that resolved cleanly, with healthy ongoing maintenance at the general dentist.

Intervals are not fixed for life — as your gums settle and stability is sustained, we can extend the recall.

Periodontal maintenance is specialist hygiene — it doesn't replace your routine visits with your general dentist. For many patients, the rhythm is:

• Specialist periodontal maintenance with us, every 3 to 6 months
• Routine check-ups with your general dentist on their own schedule
• Communication between practices so nothing is duplicated or missed

We don't take over your general dental care. Your dentist handles fillings, crowns, routine examinations, and the rest of your everyday dentistry; we handle the periodontal piece.

Pocket depths measured at six points around every tooth (or every implant), and compared to your last visit. Any new bleeding or increased depth is noted and discussed.

Deep, careful cleaning of all the pockets that need it — different from a general dental clean in that we use specialised instruments and target the subgingival surfaces specifically.

Review of your home care — brushing technique, interdental cleaning, any product recommendations adjusted to what's working and what isn't. The home-care piece matters more than the visits do.

A note to your general dentist after the visit, with anything they should know about.