Scaling and root planing

Sometimes, a deep cleaning is necessary, and critical

When plaque and tartar are living below the gum line, we remove it with a deep cleaning. This is also known as “scaling and root planing.” It leaves your gums happier and your whole mouth healthier.

Have painful, inflamed gums? Get a free check-up. Make an Appointment

How root planing and scaling work

Healthy gums hug your teeth firmly. There’s nothing loosey goosey about it. But as gum disease progresses from gingivitis to periodontitis, your gums begin to loosen in order to get away from the toxins in the plaque and calculus (tartar).This allows bacteria to travel even farther below the gum line. When things get to that point, you need a deep cleaning.

We will first numb your gums

Fortunately, often your dentist or dental hygienist will use a local anesthetic so you’re pain free while he/she does the deep cleaning.

After that, we scale the roots of your teeth

Your dentist scrapes away all of the plaque and tartar, just like he or she does in a regular dental cleaning. But during deep cleaning, she scrapes down below the gumline.

Next, we will smooth-out the roots of your teeth

Your dentist will plane – or smooth – your teeth’s roots. This encourages your gums to snuggle back up to your teeth.

At Brident, we irrigate to flush away bad bacteria

Using a special device, your dentist or dental hygienist will flush the area between your teeth and gums with an antimicrobial medication. This helps eliminate as much bacteria as possible.

Sometimes we apply local antibiotics

Your Brident dentist might apply a strong antibiotic called Arestin® to your gums to prohibit any infections. Arestin can stay active for up to four weeks, and since it goes directly on your gums, it does not have the side effects of pill form antibiotics.

Help gums stay healthy with PerioProtect

Your dentist may suggest that you being using PerioProtect, an in-home gum treatment that helps reduce bacteria that causes gum disease.

Give your gums a daily perio treatment at home.

PerioProtect bathes your gums in a bacteria-fighting gel that nurtures healthy gums. Your gums may even recover from periodontitis when it is used regularly.To get started, your dentist has to take impressions of your mouth. Afterwards, the lab will make you a set of custom, PerioProtect trays.

Learn about PerioProtect