14.10.2025
The aftercare is the treatment
Periodontitis can be brought to a standstill, but not cured like a cold. The bacteria that trigger it belong to the normal oral flora; after cleaning they colonise the pockets again. Whether that turns into inflammation once more is decided in the months that follow.
That is why supportive periodontal therapy follows the treatment proper. At fixed intervals the pocket depths are measured, deposits removed and home oral hygiene discussed. How close the intervals are depends on the risk: wider where the findings are stable, shorter where the risk is raised.
Studies on long-term care show a clear picture: those who attend aftercare regularly lose considerably fewer teeth over the years than those who stay away after treatment. It is the best documented part of periodontal treatment there is.
An appointment that is easy to postpone is usually the most important one.