Supportive Periodontal Therapy (SPT)
Supportive Periodontal Therapy is carried out after completion of active periodontal treatment; it must be stressed that it is a vital, ongoing, part of successful periodontal therapy. The objective of SPT is to maintain improvements made by the active periodontal treatment and to minimise recurrence of the disease.
Research has demonstrated that patients who attended SPT, as advised by the periodontist, had considerably less tooth loss and significantly reduced pocket depths than patients who failed to attend.
Hygienist Appointments
Recommended as part of SPT are regular Dental Hygienist appointments.
The regularity of SPT is determined at your reassessment appointments by Dr Nissen. At these appointments the following is carried out;
SPT is provided under the supervision and prescription of Dr Nissen who will continue to assess patients at regular intervals.
SPT Appointment by Dr Nissen
At each SPT appointment a full reassessment of the current periodontal condition is assessed and is compared to the base line data collected at the first consultation appointment. This includes the following:
SPT Appointment with the Hygienist, Jacquelin Ritchie
After the active phase of treatment is completed the management of the disease
Presence of bleeding on probing
Prevalence of residual pockets
Number of teeth lost
Evidence of further loss of periodontal support in relation to the patient’s age
Systemic and/or genetic conditions
Environmental factors such as cigarette smoking