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Many people know that neglecting proper oral health care comes with many consequences. Plaque and tartar start to build up around the teeth and gums, leading to tooth decay and periodontal issues. When these circumstances begin to compromise your dental health, you may be a candidate for deep cleaning, more formally known as scaling and root planing.

Scaling and Root Planing Explained

As part of the scaling portion of the procedure, your dentist removes plaque build-up on the teeth’s surface and under the gum line using hand-operated and ultrasonic instruments. For root planing, your dental expert scales the root surface, which helps reduce gum tissue inflammation. Following this, your teeth will be smoothed and polished to help prevent plaque from accumulating while the gums heal.

This procedure generally takes one visit to complete and is often done without the need for sedation or anesthesia. In more severe cases, your dental professional may elect to segment the procedure, dividing the treatment into four visits for a more deliberate and intensive procedure.

Successful completion of this treatment, combined with a consistent hygienic routine moving forward, should eliminate bacteria and the reoccurrence of any symptoms.

When Scaling and Root Planing is Necessary

Gingivitis, the beginning stage of gum disease, occurs when the gums become inflamed and infected because the plaque hardens and releases toxins. These toxins have an adverse effect on gum fibers, creating pockets that can eventually loosen teeth and deteriorate the jaw bone at an accelerated pace. Treatment for this milder form of gum disease is less invasive than when the situation develops into a more severe condition.

If you’re experiencing gingivitis, your family dental team can conduct scaling and root planing. This procedure is an effective treatment method to incorporate into periodontal maintenance plans, as the cost and invasiveness are both minimal.

For patients experiencing periodontitis, the more advanced form of gum disease, the specialized expertise of a periodontist may be required to reverse symptoms. In severe circumstances, the periodontist may a consider a surgical approach to fully eliminate the bacteria.

Contact Us Today

At Affordable Dental, we utilize state-of-the-art ultrasonic instruments to perform scaling and root planing for our patients in Van Nuys. If you are experiencing gum inflammation and would like a quality, affordable deep cleaning, call our office today to set up an appointment.

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