Routine Professional Teeth Cleaning
Our dental hygienist performs routine professional cleanings, which involves scaling teeth and the gumline to remove plaque and tartar, and polishing to remove stains and smooth the tooth’s surface. This is done to keep your teeth and gums healthy. If you have symptoms of gum disease, however, you may need another type of cleaning, called scaling and root planing.
When Is Scaling and Root Planing Recommended?
Although routine cleanings are done to prevent periodontal (gum) disease, scaling and root planing is a non-surgical procedure done to treat periodontal disease. This procedure is sometimes called a deep cleaning, and is considered required treatment for patients with chronic periodontitis.
Healthy gum tissue fits tightly around each tooth. The measurement from the top of the gumline to where it attaches to the tooth should only be 1-3 millimeters in depth. But, when bacterial plaque and tartar accumulate around and under the gums, tissues that support your teeth may be affected and periodontal disease can develop causing deeper pockets to form.
When you have more advanced signs of gum disease (bad breath, heavy tartar buildup and unhealthy pocket depths of 4mm or more), our dentist may recommend scaling and root planing as the first procedure necessary to treat the condition.
How can we help?
By now you probably have questions about your dental care. We are here to help. Please contact our office with the form below and one of our friendly associates will reach out to you personally to assist however we can.
