La Crosse
3143 State Road Suite 100, La Crosse, WI 54601
Why choose us
Benefits of Periodontal Maintenance
Keeps Gum Disease Controlled
Regular periodontal maintenance visits help keep gum disease in check after scaling and root planing or other gum disease treatment.
Care From Familiar Faces
Our dental hygienists and general dentists know your history, so each visit builds on the last.
Comfort Every Visit
The Ascent Experience brings warm towelettes, blankets, support pillows, headphones and essential oils to your appointment.
No Judgment, Clear Answers
Wherever your gums are today, we explain what we see in plain language and never judge how long it has been.
Close to Home
We offer gum care at our La Crosse, Holmen, Arcadia and Viroqua offices across the Coulee Region.
Gum disease rarely announces itself with pain, which is why it's easy to assume everything is fine once your gums stop bleeding after a deep cleaning. At Rivertown Dental, serving families across Wisconsin's Coulee Region from our offices in La Crosse, Holmen, Arcadia and Viroqua, we see periodontal maintenance as the everyday follow-through that helps protect the work you've already put into your gum health. It is a regular, focused visit designed for patients who have been treated for gum disease and want to keep it under control, close to home and with a team that knows their history.
Periodontal maintenance is an ongoing care visit for patients who have a history of gum disease, usually after treatment such as scaling and root planing. A standard dental cleaning focuses mainly on the surfaces of the teeth and the area near the gumline. Periodontal maintenance goes further, giving extra attention to the spaces between the gums and teeth where bacteria and hardened buildup tend to collect once gum disease has been present.
During these visits, our dental hygienist cleans carefully above and below the gumline, checks the depth of the pockets around your teeth, and looks for any changes since your last appointment. Your dentist reviews those findings with you so you understand what's stable, what may need closer watching, and whether anything else should be addressed. Because we also offer gum disease treatment, dental exams and oral cancer screenings, these checks can happen as part of the same relationship rather than through a referral out of the area.
Periodontal maintenance helps a wide range of adults, not only people with advanced gum concerns. Some patients come to us after years away from the dentist and need a fresh start. Others have finished scaling and root planing at one of our offices and are ready for the next phase. We also care for patients with dental implants, since we place implants and provide implant maintenance, and healthy surrounding gum tissue is part of keeping those restorations in good shape.
You don't need a referral to become a patient, and there is no judgment about how long it has been since your last visit. Here are a few common situations where periodontal maintenance comes up:
- You recently completed scaling and root planing for gum disease
- Your gums have shown pocketing, bleeding or recession at past exams
- You have dental implants, bridges or other restorations to protect
- You have a history of gum disease and want ongoing monitoring
How often will I need periodontal maintenance?
The right schedule depends on your individual gum health, and our team recommends a frequency based on what we see at your visits. Many patients with a history of gum disease need these appointments more often than a routine cleaning schedule, because bacteria below the gumline can rebuild between visits.
We revisit that recommendation over time. If your measurements stay stable and your home care is strong, we'll talk with you about what that means for your schedule. If we notice changes, we'll explain them clearly and talk through options, including additional gum disease treatment when it makes sense.
What should I do at home between visits?
Your daily routine matters just as much as your appointments, because periodontal maintenance works best as a partnership. Brushing thoroughly twice a day and cleaning between your teeth daily help limit the buildup that leads gum disease to return.
Our hygienist can show you techniques suited to your mouth, whether you have tight spaces, gum recession, implants or a bridge that needs extra care. Patients often find that small adjustments, like changing how they angle their brush or which cleaning aids they use, make home care easier to stick with. Ongoing maintenance visits and consistent home care together give you the best opportunity to keep your gums healthy and catch concerns early.
How can I pay for periodontal maintenance?
We work with many dental insurance plans, so the best first step is to call your nearest office and we'll help you confirm your coverage. We also welcome self-pay patients.
For patients without insurance, our Rivertown Membership Plans, also called the VIP Program, include Classic, Deluxe and Kids plans. Plans include cleanings, exams, X-rays and fluoride, plus a discount on treatment, though they cannot be combined with insurance. We also offer third-party financing through Cherry, CareCredit and Proceed Finance for qualified applicants, subject to approval, and our team can walk you through how each option works.
Why choose Rivertown Dental for ongoing gum care?
We're locally owned and dentist-led, so you can keep seeing the same team for cleanings, gum care, restorative work and implants. We call our approach The Ascent Experience: advanced care, genuine comfort, and a better experience from start to finish. That means comforts like warm towelettes, blankets, support pillows, headphones and essential oils, along with clear explanations at every visit.
Whether you live near La Crosse, Holmen, Arcadia, Viroqua or surrounding communities like Onalaska, West Salem and Westby, we'd love to help you keep your gums healthy. Call the office closest to you to schedule your periodontal maintenance visit. Dentistry, Done Differently.
The process
What to expect
- 1
Exam and Gum Check
We review your gum health and digital X-rays to see how your gums have responded since your last treatment.
- 2
Deep Maintenance Cleaning
Your hygienist carefully cleans above and below the gumline to help keep gum disease from progressing.
- 3
Your Ongoing Plan
We talk through home care and schedule your next maintenance visit at a pace that fits your gum health.
Questions
Periodontal Maintenance FAQs
What is periodontal maintenance, and how is it different from a regular cleaning?
Periodontal maintenance is an ongoing cleaning visit for patients who have been treated for gum disease, such as with scaling and root planing. At our Coulee Region offices in La Crosse, Holmen, Arcadia and Viroqua, our team cleans below the gumline and checks your gum health at each visit, which goes further than a routine cleaning. The goal is to help keep gum disease under control after your initial treatment.
Who needs periodontal maintenance?
Periodontal maintenance is usually recommended for patients who have already had gum disease treatment. Your dentist or hygienist will look at your gums, your history and your past treatment, then tell you whether this type of visit fits your needs. If it has been a while since your last visit, we will simply start where you are, with no judgment.
Does periodontal maintenance hurt?
Most patients find periodontal maintenance comfortable, though some areas may feel tender if your gums are inflamed. We let you know what to expect at each step, and the Ascent Experience adds comforts like a warm towelette, blanket, support pillow, headphones and essential oils. If you feel anxious about dental visits, tell us so we can talk through comfort options, including nitrous oxide.
How long does a visit take, and how often will I need one?
A periodontal maintenance visit is often a bit longer than a standard cleaning because we work below the gumline and check your gums carefully. How often you come in depends on your gum health, and we will recommend a schedule that fits your needs. Some patients return more often than a standard cleaning schedule, and we adjust it over time as your gums respond.
Will insurance cover periodontal maintenance, and what if I don't have insurance?
We work with many dental insurance plans, so please call your nearest office to confirm how your plan handles periodontal maintenance. For patients without insurance, our Rivertown Membership Plans, also called the VIP Program, include cleanings, exams, X-rays and fluoride plus a discount on treatment, though they cannot be combined with insurance. We also accept self-pay patients and offer third-party financing through Cherry, CareCredit and Proceed Finance for those who qualify.