Scaling & Root Planing

Scaling & Root Planing | Woodshore Family Dentistry

Periodontal scaling and root planing is necessary to get rid of all the accumulated plaque and tartar and get rid of the bacterial infection. Please continue reading for a detailed discussion of root planing and scaling.

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Scaling & Root Planing

You may think that perfect oral health is achieved by simply brushing and flossing your teeth regularly. While regular brushing and flossing are important, they’re not enough to maintain perfect oral health. The only way to ensure you never suffer from gum disease is to seek regular root planing and scaling treatment.

No matter how well you brush your own teeth, you can’t get rid of all the food particles stuck between your teeth. This is especially true if you have slightly misaligned teeth because the food particles can get stuck in deep recesses of your teeth that you can’t reach. Over time, these food particles turn into a white sticky substance known as plaque. Over time, this plaque hardens into a substance called tartar that’s almost impossible to remove on your own.

The accumulated plaque and tartar also invite bacterial infection. The accumulation of plaque and tartar, plus the increased level of bacteria in your mouth, leads to a number of dental issues, including gum disease and gingivitis. The accumulated plaque and tartar can lead to gum recession and the bacterial infection leads to tooth decay and gum disease.

Periodontal scaling and root planing is a procedure with which the dentist removes all of the accumulated plaque, tartar, and gets rid of the bacteria, thus restoring your oral health. At Woodshore Family Dentistry, we provide regular dental deep cleaning that also includes scaling and root planing. Please continue reading for a detailed discussion of the scaling and root planing procedure.

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What is Dental Scaling and Root Planing?

Dental scaling and root planing are the two best non-invasive procedures to either avoid gum disease altogether or treat gum disease before it gets serious. Scaling is a procedure in which the dental hygienist uses a scalar device to remove the accumulated plaque and tartar from the deepest recesses of your teeth.

If there’s a pocket of space between your gums and teeth — caused by gum recession due to excessive tartar — the dentist also uses the root planing procedure to smoothen the root surface and reattach it to your teeth. Both scaling and root planing are used to treat gum disease and remove plaque and tartar from below the gum line.

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Can a General Dentist do Scaling and Root Planing?

Scaling and Root Planing are extremely simple procedures. As such, they can be conducted by anyone, including a general dentist or a dental hygienist.

Signs you Need Periodontal Scaling and Root Planing

Periodontal scaling and root planing only work if you seek treatment at the earliest stage of gum disease. If the bacterial infection spreads to your bones, you may need to opt for serious surgical options.

The moment you notice any of the signs and symptoms of gum disease, you should immediately seek treatment. The following are some signs to watch out for.

  • Inflamed or swollen gums.
  • Toothaches that are persistent.
  • Persistent bad breath, even if you regularly brush your teeth and rinse your mouth.
  • Receding gums, which can be seen as a gummy smile.
  • Sensitive gums that easily bleed even while brushing.

If you don’t seek tooth scaling and root planing procedure in time, you can suffer from advanced periodontitis. When your gums are healthy, they fit tightly around your teeth and there’s minimal gap between them. When you suffer from gum disease caused by a bacterial infection, the pockets of space between your gums and teeth expand and you suffer from gum disease. This also further spreads the infection till the bacteria infect your roots and bones. This can eventually lead to bone loss and tooth loss as well. If you don’t seek dental scaling and root planing procedures, you may later have to opt for surgical procedures or even tooth extraction.

Scaling and Root Planing Procedure

You might be wondering exactly what happens during a scaling and root planing procedure. The following is a brief description of scaling and root planing. As you’ll see, these are extremely simple procedures so you have nothing to be concerned about.

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Scaling

This is a simple procedure that can be handled by the dentist or dental hygienist. They will simply use a scalar device to scrape off every last trace of plaque and tartar. They’ll reach into the deepest recesses of your mouth to remove all of the accumulated plaque.

Root Planing

This procedure is only necessary if the gum disease has led to gum recession and there are pockets of space between your teeth and gums. In this case, the dentist will smoothen the roots of your teeth, which will also remove the bacteria and accumulated plaque. Once the root is smoothened and disinfected, the dentist will reattach it to your teeth.  

PATIENT TESTIMONIALS

This place is great! Everyone is so kind and very professional. The dentist is awesome also. He takes the time to listen and gives you all the options with no pressure. They are also great with kids here. My 10 and 3 year old also do well when they come here. I highly recommend this place for anyone who wants great care for their teeth.

Laura H.

The entire office is very friendly. They go out of their way to make you feel comfortable. I really appreciated the extra time each Doctor took to review my medical history.  Very gentle, kind and confident dental care.

Paula H.

I can’t say enough about my experience at this dental office! The entire staff was very friendly, from the second I walked in to the time I walked out. The doctor took the time to explain all that was going on, and he was very gentle in his approach which is what I like. Highly recommend this place!

Shaan

Me and my wife had been looking for a new dentist and we finally found them. This group of people are great. Extremely courteous and good at what they do. I couldn’t be more pleased with our new dentists and would highly recommend them to anyone.

Paul S.

The staff was so friendly and helpful. You can tell they really care about their patients and love what they do. They all made the experience really easy & comfortable. Highly recommend!

Kurstie P.

Hadn’t been to the dentist in 3 years because I just didn’t like it… tried this one out. Very kind and professional staff, friendly, outgoing, made me feel welcome. Definitely would recommend this dentist

Meena D.

The office is very clean and my daughter loved the tv in the ceiling to watch while her work was being done. Thanks again to the staff and doctor for making her feel comfortable.

Michael J.

Great customer service from check in to check out! It was my daughter’s first dental appointment and the staff made her very comfortable!

Santanna W.

The staff was very welcoming and friendly! Dr. Pattni explained my plan thoroughly and made sure I was comfortable during my treatment which I really appreciated. They also perform orthodontic work at affordable prices which is great because now I only have to go to one office for all of my dental needs. Not to mention the decor, ambiance, and state-of-the-art equipment is truly exceptional! Will definitely be coming back!

Anjani P.

What Happens After Scaling and Root Planing?

Once the dental scaling and root planing is done, you can simply go back home. You only have to return for dental deep cleaning on a regular basis so that the dentist can continue removing all of the accumulated plaque and tartar.

When you return for a dental cleaning appointment after your scaling and root planing, the dentist will make sure that your gum pockets have healed properly. You won’t need any more root planing if your gums are pink and healthy. However, if the dentist finds that the gum disease continues to spread, they may recommend some more advanced surgical treatments.

If everything is healthy, the dental hygienist will simply use the scaling procedure to remove accumulated plaque again and disinfect your mouth with a fluoride solution rinse.

Scaling and Root Planing Cost

The exact tooth scaling and root planing cost depends on the extent of bacterial infection. The cost of scaling and root planing may range from $1,000 to $3,000, but insurance may cover most of it because it’s a medically necessary procedure.

Oral Health Tips

You can’t simply rely on your routine scaling and root planing procedures. You need to maintain oral health on your own as well. The following tips will help you maintain perfect oral health:

  • Use a fluoride-based toothpaste to brush your teeth regularly.
  • Toothbrush bristles tend to waste away every couple of months so you should replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months.
  • Floss between your teeth thoroughly once a day.
  • Use an antibacterial mouthwash to rinse your mouth once or twice a day.
  • Don’t consume too much sweet as it attracts bacteria.
  • Avoid smoking.

FAQs About Scaling & Root Planing

Can Tooth Scaling Strengthen a Loose Tooth?

Tooth scaling only removes the accumulated plaque and tartar on your teeth so it can’t strengthen a loose tooth. However, scaling and root planing are often done together. If your dentist finds that you have a loose tooth, they may use the root planing procedure to reattach your tooth to the gums and strengthen it.

Does Repeated Scaling Damage our Teeth?

Seeking scaling procedures twice a year is perfectly healthy and it will only remove the accumulated plaque and tartar without affected your tooth surface. But you shouldn’t seek scaling more than is recommended by the dentist because that may lead to the wearing away of enamel.

Best Root Planing and Scaling Treatment

Woodshore Family Dentistry is one of the best clinics for periodontal scaling and root planing treatment in Texas. We have highly reputable dentists who diagnose your gum disease and treat it using the least invasive methods available. For more information, please schedule your scaling and root planing procedure today.

CALL NOW (979) 341-9890
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