Type of Dental Treatment: Deep Cleaning
Plaque and tartar carry bacteria that may seep through areas between your teeth and gum lines. If this is left untreated, they can lead to serious oral health complications such as infections. For that matter, your dentist would advise a deep dental cleaning when signs of gum disease are present.
A deep dental cleaning, also referred to as scaling and root planning, is a procedure that removes plaque and tartar from the teeth and periodontal pockets in the gums and smoothens the teeth roots to remove bacterial toxins. These are cost effective and minimally invasive treatments for gingivitis, the early stage of a gum disease.
Scaling and root planning can be performed by a dental hygienist or a general family dentist. However, for more advanced cases, the family dentist may recommend the specialization of a periodontist. For example, the periodontist can administer surgical treatments such as periodontal surgery or laser surgery to the gums to remove hardened plaque build-up and refine the bone defects.
A family dentist would examine the patient’s teeth in a dental clinic Florence to determine the kind of deep cleaning treatment to be administered. He will use an instrument called a periodontal probe to examine the depth of the pockets or also known as sulcus. If the depth of the sulcus is greater than 3mm, they are more prone to harmful plaque build-up and must be cleaned immediately.
The scaling and root planning treatment may be painful, depending on the teeth’s sensitivity and amount of accumulated tartar and plaque. To help lessen discomfort during scaling, the dentist would apply a numbing gel or anesthetic injection. Once the gums and teeth are numbed, the dentist of a dental clinic Florence SC will use a small scaler and ultrasonic cleaner to thoroughly remove the plaque and tartar from the bottom of each sulcus.
After the first few days of the deep cleaning treatment in dental clinic Florence South Carolina, the patient may experience some bleeding that would gradually subside. A follow-up appointment should be done to check if the gums have fully healed and if the sulcus or pockets decreased in depth. Additional treatments may be necessary if there are still pockets with depths greater than 3mm. For instance, gingivitis would require scaling and cleaning with a three-month intervals, as well as using medicated mouthwash and practicing oral hygiene.
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