Perhaps the most important component of your periodontal therapy is periodontal maintenance.  It only takes 3 months for bacteria to re-colonize the gums to the point that the bone and gum destruction can begin again.  Even with perfect home care, patients with a history of periodontal disease will always be susceptible.  Our goal is to keep the disease in its inactive stage by regularly removing the toxic bacterial biofilm every 3 to 4 months, maintaining optimal home care complete with recommended brushing and flossing routines, and constantly monitoring the gums for changes by recording gum measurements and taking necessary x-rays as prescribed by Dr. Monteiro.