SPT Supportive Periodontal Therapy

What exactly is supportive periodontal therapy, frequently referred to as SPT?  For normal, healthy mouths, regular cleanings are an adequate way to prevent dental disease and maintain good oral hygiene.  However, if there is the presence of periodontal disease, other methods of treatment need to be exercised and this is where supportive periodontal therapy comes in.

A recent NIDR study revealed that over ninety percent of people over 13 years old have some type of periodontal disease.  When periodontal disease exists, nonsurgical periodontal therapy is required to establish proper oral hygiene.  This therapy is called periodontal debridement and may include therapeutic scaling or root planing to remove plaque and calculus from the teeth and below the gumline.  After periodontal therapy is complete, a patient's oral health should be maintained through supportive periodontal maintenance.

Supportive periodontal maintenance involves continuing care visits to monitor the oral health of the patient and additional debridement procedures to prevent the return of periodontal disease.  Other procedures used for supportive periodontal maintenance include antimicrobial irrigation and treating dental hypersensitivity.

If you have periodontal problems, discuss periodontal therapy and supportive periodontal maintenance options with your dentist today so you can establish and maintain a more healthy mouth.