Preventive maintenance: A view of periodontists from Porto Alegre/RS

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the opinion of periodontists from Porto Alegre about aspects related to the understanding the clinical approach to periodic maintenance. Sixty one periodontists registered in the city participated in this study, answering to a questionnaire about how the face periodontal maintenance. The majority (86.9%) thinks that the maintenance interval should be variable, depending on individual characteristics. Risk factors were pointed as the reasons to choose the recall intervals. 73.8% of the interviewed dentists charges the same amount of money for treatment and maintenance appointments and more than 90% thinks that the difference between maintenance and retreatment is linked to disease recurrence. 81.9% of the periodontists performs maintenance in one single visit and the majority considers periodontal disease a disease that can be cured. The analysis of the results leads to the conclusion that the periodontal patient has the opportunity of being treated and maintained in a healthy status. It is important that the periodontista individually know his patient in order to establish the frequency of this maintenance.