Dental health means a combination of prevention and effective restorative care when it’s needed most. One particular dental treatment option that many people have heard of but do not quite understand is deep cleaning. Once patients know what deep cleaning involves, the name is quite obvious. The team at our laser dentistry center would like to take a brief moment to go over some of the basics of deep cleaning, root planing, and root scaling right now.
What is deep cleaning?
Deep cleaning is a treatment that targets tartar build up and tooth decay that’s located along the gumline or just beneath the gumline. It’s performed to prevent tooth decay from affecting tooth structure beneath the gumline and to ensure lasting dental health and wellness in the process. The deep cleaning treatment combines root planing and root scaling.
Why is deep cleaning treatment necessary?
When tooth decay occurs beneath the gumline, it can cause major damage to the total structure of the tooth. Left untreated or unaddressed, this can result in a root canal infection, tooth loss, and gum disease. By undergoing a deep cleaning, your cosmetic and laser dentist can provide you with excellent dental care that is both restorative and preventative in nature.
What is root planing?
Root planing is a restorative dentistry procedure in which the tooth is carefully smoothed along the gumline area. This is done to remove any tartar build up and remnants of tooth decay.
What is root scaling?
Root scaling refers to the removal of plaque and tartar that is situated at or beneath the gumline itself. Generally the planing and scaling are combined for maximum benefit, hence deep cleaning.
The Deep Cleaning Procedure
Because the deep cleaning process will require dentists to treat teeth beneath the gumline, local anesthetic is often used to reduce any discomfort that patients will experience.
By using special tools, your dentist will carefully remove tartar and help smooth out the tooth structure at this deep level. The duration of your treatment can vary depending on your dental care needs.
Following a deep cleaning treatment, patients will usually experience tenderness or numbness of the gums. This is natural and will decrease over the course of a day or so. Patients are advised to continue to brush and floss as normal, though with care in case of their own sensations of discomfort.
Related Dental Treatments for Advanced Dental Treatments
Sometimes when deep cleaning is not performed soon enough, other restorative treatments will need to be used in order to improve overall dental wellness. In such cases, it is not out of the ordinary for dental fillings, inlays, onlays, or dental crowns to be used on teeth that have been seriously compromised by decay. Gum disease therapies may also be considered in some cases depending on the patient’s situation.
During your consultation, we’ll be sure to go over all treatment options with you in greater detail.
Schedule an Appointment for Root Planing and Scaling
For more information about root planing and root scaling as well as your many other options for advanced dental care treatment, be sure to contact our Oakland, NJ laser dentistry center today. Our entire team looks forward to meeting you in person and helping you achieve excellent dental wellness in the process.
