Deep Dental Cleanings

Keeping your teeth in good condition is a critical part of living a healthy life for years to come. But what about your gums? Maintaining strong gums is just as important to prevent oral and overall health concerns, including tooth loss and even cardiovascular diseases. If you've been diagnosed with gum disease, a deep dental cleaning could be necessary to restore your gums to health. Here's what you should know about how a deep dental cleaning could benefit you before scheduling your consultation with Dr. Ryba and the trusted team at Ryba Dentistry.

 

Overview of Gum Disease

Deep dental cleanings are most often needed for patients that have gum disease, also known as periodontal disease. Teeth scaling and root planing procedures, also referred to as "deep cleanings" are sometimes needed for patients who have extensive buildup of germ plaques, called "calculus" under the gum line. Periodontal cleanings prevent the disease from progressing via the removal of germs that cause the disease. Deep dental cleanings are sometimes needed on a single-time basis for patients who have not had a professional cleaning in several years and have extensive calculus build-up under the gum line, even if they do not have gum disease.  

 

Deep dental cleanings help to prevent the progression of gum disease, but it's important to note that gum disease is not curable. Gum disease is, however, treatable via a deep cleaning followed by a regimented 3-month professional cleaning schedule. Gum disease cases that do not respond to deep cleanings are referred to specialists, called periodontists, who offer additional services to stop the progression of gum disease.

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Periodontal Cleanings

Deep cleanings are completed under local anesthesia and involve the use of additional instrumentation to ensure the complete removal of calculus under the gum line. 

Here's what you can expect during your deep dental cleaning at Ryba Dentistry:

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• First, the dentist or dental hygienist numbs the teeth and gums undergoing deep cleaning. 

• Next, the provider uses a vibrating scaler, called a Cavitron, to shear off calculus stuck to the teeth roots. 

• Hand scalers are then used to remove any smaller calculus particles. 

 

A full mouth deep cleaning usually takes about 2 hours; we typically split the procedure into two separate 1-hour visits to prevent our patients from needing to keep their mouth open for an uncomfortable length of time.

 

Periodontal cleanings are completed under local anesthesia, which numbs the teeth and gum tissue for the duration of the procedure. You can expect mild gum soreness for a day or two after the procedure, but many patients experience no discomfort after deep dental cleanings. In fact, many patients are surprised at how good their teeth and gums feel after their cleaning.

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Can I Eat or Drink After My Teeth Scaling?

Of course! We do recommend that patients refrain from eating and drinking while they are numb immediately after the procedure to prevent accidentally biting their lips, cheeks, or tongue.  Some patients report minor cold sensitivity after deep cleanings, which often goes away within a few days or weeks.

 

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What Happens If Periodontal Concerns Are Left Untreated?

If left untreated, the germs from the periodontal disease build colonies under the gum line (calculus), which causes inflammation at the connection of the tooth to the jawbone, ultimately leading to the loss of bone around the tooth. By removing the calculus under the gum line with a deep dental cleaning, the inflammation at the connection of the tooth to jaw bone subsides, thereby preventing additional bone loss around the tooth or teeth.  

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Periodontal Cleaning Cost

The cost of your deep dental cleaning will depend on what your dental insurance policy covers. Please contact our office for information on what your dental insurance plan includes.

 

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Schedule Your Deep Teeth Cleaning at Ryba Dentistry

If you've been diagnosed with gum disease, restoring your oral health is possible. Our providers are extensively trained in diagnosing and treating gum conditions and comfortably provide scaling and root planing services on a regular basis. We use the latest tools and technologies to provide deep dental cleanings in a thorough, efficient, and comfortable manner. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation!