Scaling and Root Planing (Deep Cleaning)
The first line of defense against the spread of gum disease is a unique type of cleaning called scaling and root planing.
In this procedure, specialized instruments are used to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth where regular dental cleaning devices cannot reach: under the gum line on the tooth and the root.
This procedure is performed under local anesthesia and is usually completed over two to four visits. The ultimate goal of this treatment is to leave a healthy, clean tooth and root surface that makes it easier for the gum tissue to reattach to the tooth.
If gum disease treatment is initiated before it become severe, scaling and root planing may be the only treatment you need. However, as with any dental procedure, your home care is essential to maintaining a health mouth and ensuring that our treatments are successful. In order to maintain a healthy mouth and resist further occurrences of gum disease, you must brush and floss daily, eat a healthy diet, avoid tobacco use, and have regular dental checkups.
BENEFITS OF TREATMENT
1. Improve your Overall Systemic Health
Research has shown that bacteria that causes periodontal disease can travel through the blood and affect other areas of the body and ultimately cause heart disease, respiratory infections, rheumatoid arthritis and even obesity. The scaling and root procedure removes the bacteria that can cause these conditions.
2. Prevent Tooth Loss
When your pockets around your teeth (e.g. how well your gums are attached to your tooth) exceed 3 mm in depth, the risk for someone to develop periodontal disease increases as they cannot daily clean these pockets that have formed beyond the depth that their toothbrush reaches (which is 1 mm below your gum line). As pockets increase in depth, more bacteria group together and ultimately cause a chronic inflammatory response by the body leading to destruction of your gingival and bone that surrounds your teeth. This will lead to tooth loss.
3. Improve the Esthetics of Your Smile
Scaling and root planing may make your mouth more esthetically pleasing as it can reduce bad breath that is caused by food particles and bacteria that harbors in the mouth. Additionally, superficial stains on the teeth will be removed during scaling and root planing further improving the esthetics of your smile.