Long Island residents with gum disease (periodontal disease) often require non-surgical therapies to prevent tooth loss and additional bone deterioration. Deep cleanings (periodontal scaling and root planing,) as they are commonly called, removes bacteria from deep within the periodontal pockets that are responsible for this aggressive dental disease.
Although periodontal surgeries like gum grafting, bone grafting, and crown lengthening are also common, non-surgical treatments tend to be the first recommendation of our Long Island dentists. These specialized cleanings are therapeutic but more thorough than a traditional preventative cleaning that’s booked every six months.
Deep Cleaning vs. Regular Cleaning vs. Deep Cleaning
Traditional teeth cleaning is preventative in nature. They’re meant to help prevent the development of gum disease, as well as reverse minor problems like gingivitis. Our Suffolk County dentists also use these visits to screen for conditions like cavities or oral cancer at their earliest stages, for the least invasive treatment opportunities. These routine cleanings can be used as a preventative procedure and are not intended to treat chronic periodontitis. In fact, they are not effective against chronic gum disease.
These dental cleanings are traditionally scheduled approximately once every six months. Most people do fine with brushing, flossing and using an antimicrobial mouth rinse between their checkups. Your regular cleanings remove any buildup that accumulates in the meantime.
Sometimes, time can get ahead of us or we forget to floss as often as we should. Preventative cleanings are not recommended if there is moderate soft tissue loss/detachment or bone loss. Gum disease progresses and requires a more thorough cleaning to get rid of the calcified bacteria below the gums, which is causing the tissues to detach. This is what we call scaling and root planning, but others refer to it as deep cleaning. Both are one and the exact same thing.
Non-surgical treatment for gum disease is usually limited scaling and root planning. Although locally placed antibiotics may also be used in conjunction with your deep cleaning.
The goal of scaling and root planing is combined with good oral hygiene to restore gum attachment to the tooth surfaces. This will also stop the progression or tissue detachment. Scaling and root planning target accumulation across the root surface as well as within periodontal pockets, which is not possible with preventative cleanings.
What are Periodontal Pockets?
Periodontal disease is a condition where the infection occurs deep beneath the gum tissue. This causes the gums and roots to pull away. The bone around the tooth roots begins to deteriorate as a result. As time goes by, pockets form between the gum tissue and the tooth.
The risk of tooth mobility and loss increases the more severe the periodontal pocket. These areas are not easy to clean with regular brushing or flossing. Without a thorough deep cleaning, the infection will only worsen. If left untreated, the early stages of tooth loss can progress to more severe periodontal disease, tooth mobility, and tooth loss.
Who Performs Deep Cleaning Procedures?
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), a dentist or dental hygienist can perform root planning and scaling procedures. Unfortunately, dental tools have limitations. Specialized periodontal therapy and instrumentation is required if your gum disease has advanced to a moderate or severe state. Sachem Dental has the resources and expertise to help you with your periodontal health thanks nonsurgical scaling and root planning.
What to Expect from Root Planning Procedures
To ensure your comfort, most root planning and scaling appointments are performed with local anesthetic (numbing medication). We first apply a gel to the gum tissue, where local anesthesia will be injected. We use ultrasonic devices and special tools to safely reach below the gum tissue, where there are deep pockets.
Ultrasonic instruments are devices used to irrigate and debride periodontal pockets by making thousands of tiny vibrations that loosen the bacteria colonies. The vibration simply disrupts the tartar attached to teeth while also interfering with bacterial cells inside of the periodontal pockets. By removing tartar deposits from your gum tissue, we can help preserve any remaining supporting bone.
Our Suffolk County dentists may recommend scaling the entire mouth, or scheduling cleanings for half of your mouth at a time. This depends on how many teeth need root planning. Root planing takes about 1.5 hours per side. This makes it easier for our patients to split the process than to do a full mouth disinfection, especially when local anesthesia is involved. After the root planning process is completed when we see you again for an evaluation a few weeks later.
Why Clean Below The Gum Line?
Healthy gum tissue and bone around your tooth roots are essential for maintaining healthy teeth. If bacteria, tartar, or plaque accumulates under the gums, it can cause tooth mobility, bone loss, tissue separation, and infection. While a traditional cleaning may make your smile appear cleaner, cleaning below the gums is the only answer to chronic bad breath and preventing tooth loss.
We can reduce the chance of infection by cleaning below the gum line, inside periodontal pockets, where bacteria is most prevalent. This will prevent the spread of disease to other teeth and stop bone loss.
The Effects on Your Health
Your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure and diabetes increases with active periodontal disease. Science shows that your body’s wellness improves when periodontitis is treated by your dental team. Your mouth will be healthier and your immune system will also enjoy a boost.
Long Island Periodontal Disease Treatment
Sachem Dental provides comprehensive periodontal scaling, root planning, gum disease therapies and treatments for chronic periodontitis. If you’re experiencing symptoms like gum recession, bad breath, or red, inflamed gums, you might have periodontal disease.
Contact us directly at any time. No referrals are necessary. Your natural smile can be saved if we treat your periodontal disease as soon as possible.
For a scaling or root planing appointment, contact our Long Island dentists to reserve a new patient exam and periodontal evaluation.