Ever wonder why your periodontist recommends cleanings every 3–4 months instead of twice a year? If you’ve had gum therapy, dental implants, or restorative work, that “extra” care isn’t optional—it’s the key to keeping your smile healthy and comfortable long-term. At Connect Periodontics & Implant Dentistry in Los Angeles, periodontal maintenance visits are designed to control inflammation, protect bone, and safeguard the results you’ve worked hard to achieve.
Periodontal Maintenance vs. Routine Dental Cleaning—What’s the Difference?
A routine “prophy” cleaning is preventive and focuses on the visible surfaces of teeth for patients with healthy gums. Periodontal maintenance is therapeutic and ongoing. It’s recommended after scaling and root planing (deep cleaning), LANAP, osseous surgery, or other gum treatments to control the bacteria that thrive deep below the gumline. During maintenance, we clean and reassess: pocket depths, bleeding, recession, mobility, and the stability of any dental implants. Think of it as active disease management and protection.
Why Every 3–4 Months?
After professional cleaning, bacterial complexes repopulate beneath the gums. Around the 10–12 week mark, those colonies get organized enough to trigger inflammation again. If you wait six months, inflammation has more time to damage attachment fibers and bone. By returning at 3–4 month intervals—customized to your risk—we interrupt the cycle before it can do harm.
Who Needs Periodontal Maintenance?
- Anyone previously diagnosed with periodontitis (gum disease)
- Patients with implants (especially multiple implants or full-arch solutions)
- Patients with crowns, bridges, or orthodontic retainers that make hygiene trickier
- People who clench or grind (bruxism), smoke or vape, or have systemic risk factors like diabetes
What Happens During a Maintenance Visit
- Medical & risk review: We update medications, discuss changes (stress, sleep, diet), and review your home-care routine.
- Periodontal charting: We measure pocket depths and bleeding points, watch for changes, and track stability over time.
- Targeted debridement: We remove plaque and calculus above and below the gumline with ultrasonic and hand instruments.
- Implant care: If you have implants, we use implant-safe tips and evaluate tissue health to prevent peri-implantitis.
- Polish & coaching: We polish where appropriate and refine your at-home plan (tools, angles, products) for your smile.
How Maintenance Protects Dental Implants
Implants don’t get cavities, but the gums around them can become inflamed. Peri-implant mucositis, if ignored, can progress to peri-implantitis (bone loss). Professional maintenance identifies early warning signs quickly, adjusts your cleaning technique, and keeps components clean—crucial for long-term stability. Many implant patients also benefit from a custom night guard to reduce overload on the implant system.
What You Can Do at Home
- Use a soft brush with gentle, angled strokes—no scrubbing the gumline.
- Clean between teeth and implants daily with floss, interdental brushes, or a water flosser.
- Choose low-abrasion toothpaste to protect implant and crown surfaces.
- Wear your night guard if you clench; it protects both natural teeth and restorations.
Why Choose Connect Periodontics & Implant Dentistry
Our Los Angeles team focuses on gum and implant health every day. You’ll get a personalized schedule (often every 3–4 months), continuity of care with familiar faces, and practical coaching that makes home care easier and more effective.
Next Step
If it’s been more than four months since your last visit—or your gums bleed when you brush—maintenance can get you back on track.
Protect your investment. Call Connect Periodontics & Implant Dentistry at (310) 473-8770 or Contact Us to schedule periodontal maintenance in Los Angeles.