Cleanings

We recommend a cleaning and exam twice a year, not only will it keep your smile looking great, but it can also help you avoid any unwanted pain or expense due to issues growing without being noticed.  More detailed information on cleanings below, call us today for a cleaning appointment today!

The more specific term for a cleaning is oral prophylaxis, and what that refers to is removing soft and hard deposits covering the teeth, rubber cup polishing, and flossing.  Hard deposits are referred to as calculus and soft deposits are called plaque, both of which can cause gingivitis or inflammation of the gums.  In addition, oral prophylaxis is also a process of evaluating the periodontium, the tooth supporting tissue, to make sure it stays healthy and address any areas of concern, such as recession, gingival inflammation, and adequate bone levels.  Usually, we will also make recommendations on how to better your home care routine to help keep your gingival tissue healthy, reduce chances of caries, and keep your smile looking great.

Deep Cleanings

Sometimes, we discover that there is increased jaw bone destruction holding the teeth in place due to large amounts of tartar, also know as calculus , and gum infecting bacteria. This disease is referred to as periodontitis, which is an advanced form of gingivitis and involves the loss of bone and is an irreversible process, which requires a more aggressive approach. This will require anesthetizing the tissue and removing the tartar buildup below the gum line. This cleans and detoxifies the root surfaces, removing tartar and helping reduce the bone destructive bacteria present creating a healthy environment for healing.  We call this process a deep cleaning, or scaling  and root planeing, and is usually completed in two appointments dividing the mouth into four quadrants and doing the right or left half then the other at the subsequent appointment. The treatment moving forward in this situation is to stabilize and try to maintain bone levels.  It is important to remember that periodontitis, or an infection of the periodontium, is an ongoing process and once bone destruction it will not reform.  This is why following a deep cleaning maintenance of the gum tissue is crucial and being seen every three months will keep gum tissue stabile.