See you in three months! The rationale for the three monthly periodontal recall interval: a risk based approach.
There is significant evidence to support the regular review of patients with chronic periodontitis. There is, however, comparatively little evidence to demonstrate how often such reviews should take place. This paper looks at the periodontal healing period, the risks of periodontal progression and current thinking about maintenance programmes. It thus attempts to establish some guidelines that practitioners may use when calculating recall intervals.


CONCLUSIONS
The choice of individual, patient-focused recall intervals is essential to limit disease progression and maintain healthy periodontal tissues.
University Dental Hospital of Manchester, Higher Cambridge Street, Manchester, M15 6FH. jimdarcey@hotmail.com
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J
Darcey
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Ashley
D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis / Q000517:prevention & control; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000145:classification; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D018450:Disease Progression; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D055094:Evidence-Based Dentistry; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000592:standards; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000145:classification; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D013997:Time Factors; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000150:complications; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology