The role of periodontal maintenance in dental practice.

Periodontal maintenance therapy is dependent both upon methods of disease control that are either patient or therapist applied as well as on compliance with regular recall schedules. Recent advances in the design and use of mechanical aids for plaque removal, electric toothbrush design, use of chemotherapeutic plaque control agents, and evaluations of the role of maintenance therapy in practice are included. Numerous studies indicate that compliance with recall intervals may be difficult to achieve but is essential to the success of periodontal therapy. Suggestions for approaches to effective periodontal maintenance therapy are provided.