If you develop a severe gum disease called periodontitis, you may need tooth scaling and root planing to remove tartar and treat inflamed gums. These deep-cleaning procedures chip off tartar that hardens to the surfaces of your teeth and roots. The treatments help protect your smile and prevent the loss of teeth, gums, and bones.
Scaling and root planing are two ways that dentists deep clean teeth. The procedure takes away tartar, which is made up of minerals that have hardened and stuck to your teeth. If you have advanced gum disease and have periodontitis, you may need to do these things.
When you get your teeth scaled, tartar is taken off the part of your teeth that you can see when you smile. During root planing, tartar is scraped off the roots of your teeth, which are below the gum line.
These gum disease treatments are done by dentists and periodontists, who are experts in gum disease. Most of the time, a dental hygienist does the job. Scaling and root planing happen at the same dentist appointment. Most of the time, you’ll need more than one visit to the dentist to get all of your teeth fixed.
Nearly half of all Americans over 30 have some kind of periodontal disease. As you get older, your chance of getting periodontitis goes up. Almost three out of four adults over 65 have it.
Some things that can cause periodontitis are:
Most of the time, periodontal disease doesn’t hurt. During a check-up, your dentist may tell you that you have periodontitis. You may also get dental X-rays to check for problems like cavities, a tooth infection called an abscessed tooth, and bone loss. If you have periodontitis, your doctor will talk to you about how to treat it. At a future appointment, the teeth will be scaled and the roots will be smoothed.
This deep dental cleaning goes below the gum line to remove tartar from the roots of each of your teeth. A local anaesthetic is used to numb your mouth to make sure you don’t feel any pain or discomfort. You’re awake during the operations.
The scaling process is done with an ultrasonic scaler, which is a tool that vibrates. When teeth are scaled, these things may happen:
Root planing is like scaling your teeth, but it is done on the roots of your teeth that are below your gum line.
During root planing, your service provider:
When your teeth are smooth, bacteria and plaque are less likely to stick to them. As your gums heal, the inflammation goes down. Your healthy gums can stick better to the smoothed tooth roots again.
During follow-up visits, your provider will measure the spaces between your gum tissue and teeth. If the pockets haven’t gone down, you might need surgery on your gums. Some surgical ways to treat periodontitis are:
How many times you need to go to the dentist for scaling and root planing depends on how bad your condition is and what your provider prefers. Some dentists treat both the upper and lower teeth on one side of the mouth during the same visit. To treat the other side of your mouth, you’ll need to come back for a second visit.
Some providers instead treat each part of the mouth separately. For example, they only smooth and scale the lower right side of your mouth. At your next appointment, they may work on your upper right jaw. For this kind of treatment, you’ll need to go to four appointments.
Studies show that scaling and planing the roots of the teeth are effective ways to treat periodontitis. They can keep you from losing bones, gums, and teeth.
Scaling and root planing can cause short-term pain while your teeth heal. But there aren’t many risks overall. People with heart problems like endocarditis or artificial heart valves may need to take antibiotics before getting dental work done. Antibiotics make it less likely that you will get sick from bacteria. Ask your dentist and your cardiologist if this preventive step is necessary.
After the procedure, your gums may be sore and swollen for a short time. You may also feel pain in your teeth. You should do what your doctor tells you to do to get better.
You may need to:
If you notice any of the following signs of gum disease, you should call your dentist:
When you get your teeth cleaned regularly, plaque can be removed before it turns into tartar. But some people are afraid of the dentist and won’t go. You’re not the only one if this sounds like you. Dentophobia, also called odontophobia, is the fear of dentists. Up to one-third of people have this fear. 10% of people are so afraid of the dentist that they never go to one.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) recognises dentophobia as a specific phobic disorder, which is a kind of anxiety disorder. Seeing a professional in mental health can help you get over this fear. Also, you should tell your dentist about your fear. They can help you feel more at ease so that you can get the dental care you need.
You only have one set of teeth when you’re an adult. No one wants to lose them because their gums are too sick. If you have periodontitis, you can save your smile with scaling and root planing.
Only a dentist with the right equipment and training can remove the tartar that causes periodontal disease.But you can keep your teeth and gums healthy if you brush and floss every day. Ask your provider to show you how to brush, floss, and take care of your teeth the right way. This will make it less likely that you will develop gum disease again.
We offer Dental Plan to our patients. It’s a very flexible plan, that you can use to finance 100% or only a portion of your treatments. With Tabby, you can split your purchases into 4 interest-free payments and earn cashback at your favourite stores.
Our Clinic accept a variety of payment options.So we accept a variety of payment choices and third-party financing options that fit your wallet.
Cash
Credit Cards
+971 4 584 1014
+971 58 684 1014
