Scaling and Root Planing

What to Expect

1-2 Appointments

Some patients need more than a routine cleaning to keep their mouth healthy. A deep cleaning removes plaque and tartar from beneath the gum line, helping gums heal, preventing gum disease from spreading, and protecting against tooth and bone loss

Signs of periodontal disease:

• deep pockets where food gets caught between you teeth and gums

• continued bleeding despite regular brushing and flossing

• red, puffy gums

• foul odor to your breath

We evaluate gum and bone health at every cleaning appointment but special attention is given to this at your new patient exam. A full mouth periodontal pocketing exam and full mouth series of x-rays will be used to evaluate the need for a deep cleaning.

The scaling and root planing is completed after numbing the section of the mouth that requires treatment. A combination of ultrasonic instruments and hand scalers will be used to gently rid your teeth of the build up and bacteria below the gums.

You will then return 6 weeks to 3 months later to assess pocket depth reduction, home maintenance and health of the tissues.

We recommend three to four month periodontal maintenance appointments to help maintain the reduced pocket depths. Sometimes referral to a periodontal specialist is needed after the deep cleaning to achieve complete pocket reduction. We will guide you every step of the way.