Supportive periodontal treatment – an overview

Supportive periodontal therapy is the means by which proper maintenance and care can be given to the patient. Numerous studies have indicated that periodontal therapy in the absence of a carefully designed maintenance program invariably results in the relapse of the disease condition. Accordingly, periodontal care provided without a maintenance program deal with significant patient management and disease management issues. Hence supportive periodontal treatment forms an integral part of periodontal therapy, with all treatment accomplishments channeled into achieving a healthy periodontal status that can be effectively maintained. In this regard, supportive periodontal therapy becomes the most decisive aspect of dental treatment. This article gives an overview of the significance of supportive periodontal therapy in maintaining the integrity of the periodontium.