Periodontal Care
Healthy gums are the foundation to a healthy smile. Healthy gums can affect the long term care and retention of teeth. That's why we always emphasize regular cleanings to our patients. There are situations where a dental cleaning is not enough, in which case a deep cleaning, or a variation of that, will be necessary. Our team of hygiene professionals will customize the right plan that will fit your periodontal needs.
dental prophy
Professional dental cleanings are performed by our expert, and compassionate hygiene team. The most important component of a dental cleaning is scaling, which is the removal of plaque and tartar on the teeth. Tartar buildup leads to inflammation of the gums, which can progress to gingivitis and periodontal disease. Our hygienist must either manually remove the substance from your teeth or use an ultrasonic scaler, which is a tool that gently vibrates to remove tartar. Teeth that are free of tartar are easier to clean, and therefore less likely to develop tooth decay and gum disease.
Full mouth debridement
In some cases, a patient presents with considerable tartar and plaque buildup around the teeth and in the gums. This buildup can hinder us from completing a full dental exam by covering the teeth. We recommend a full mouth debridement, which involves a thorough cleaning of the teeth during a longer appointment. After a full mouth debridement is completed, we re-examine the gums and teeth and determine whether the patient just needs regular cleanings, or might need a deep cleaning.
deep cleaning
If a patient has not visited the dentist for a cleaning in a longer duration, and has poor oral hygiene, this can result in gingivitis. Gingivitis is the accumulation of plaque and tartar in the gum pockets, resulting in inflammation of the gums. If the tartar is not removed, it causes bone destruction around the teeth, and deepens the gum pockets. This progression is very serious and dangerous as it can cause:
- Irritated and sensitive gums
- Bleeding while brushing
- Constant bad breath
- Shifting of teeth
- Loss of teeth
Deep cleaning is a procedure which involves anesthetizing the gums, and gently and deeply removing the plaque and bacteria that are lodged in the gum pockets. The goal is to allow the gum pocket to heal up, and rid the mouth of the continual inflammation.