Cleanings

Plaque accumulates in our mouths daily every minute. We brush and floss to remove the plaque. Plaque that sits on our teeth for a long time can harden into what is called calculus, which can only be removed by a professional dental cleaning. A physical exam of your entire mouth and a gum analysis is used to determine what type of cleaning you need. The goal is to remove the plaque and tartar build up in your mouth with ultrasonic cleaners and hand scalers.

Types of cleanings:

• Regular - patients with healthy gums should be receiving cleanings twice a year every six months with exam and x-rays.
• Scaling and Root Planing - patients with periodontal (gum) disease need a deeper cleaning than just a regular cleaning. In these cases, the patient's mouth is numbed, so that our ultrasonic cleaners and scalers can clean below the gums. These patients generally need to return every three months for a periodontal maintenance, or occasionally in severe cases will be asked to return in six weeks after the initial scaling and root planing for a follow up maintenance.