Teeth Cleaning Procedures
Teeth Cleaning Procedures
Plaque, a bio-film of firmly adherent bacterial mass, is the root of all periodontal evils. If not removed in a certain period of time, plaque can and may mineralize to form hard deposits known as tartar. Both, when combined, are the main causes of gum or periodontal disease. A general dentist’s job includes educating their patients about these tartar deposits and how to prevent them from forming, and if formed, then to remove them to help maintain a healthy oral environment. The dentists at Saini Smiles, located at Sun City West, AZ are dedicated to providing the best services to keep that perfect smile.
There are a number of professional teeth cleaning procedures that a general dentist may use to effectively remove any tartar deposits from your teeth and prevent them from causing any lasting damage to your gums. Procedures like manual or laser teeth cleaning, followed by polishing are used on a prophylactic basis while deep cleaning which involves scaling and root planing, also known as root debridement, may be used in cases of moderately progressed periodontal disease.
Manual Teeth Cleaning:
Sometimes, brushing of teeth and flossing isn’t enough to eliminate all the plaque accumulated under and around our gums. This is where a general dentist steps in. Prophylaxis, or more traditionally called teeth cleaning, is the procedure that is used to remove that build up of plaque that we normally cannot get to. After a thorough examination with the use of dental and periodontal probes to determine the presence and prevalence of plaque built up a general dentist will proceed to remove it. Fine hand instruments or curettes are used to carefully scrape away the dental deposits from all surfaces of your teeth followed by polishing them smooth using a rubber cup and polishing paste. Usually recommended at an interval of every 5 to 6 months, prophylaxis is a good way of maintaining oral health.
Laser Teeth Cleaning:
When teeth have not been professionally cleaned over a period of a year or more, and there is a heavy build-up of tarter and signs of moderate gum damage such as pain or bleeding, the need for a full mouth root debridement may arise. A procedure which involves scaling and root planing by use of micro-ultrasonic lasers reflects the dental advancement in periodontal protection techniques. By using these powerful ultrasonic scalers a general dentist can access the subginvival areas with the help of specifically designed scaler tips to easily remove the tarter deposits that may not be visible in the open oral cavity. Sub-gingival plaque and tarter collections, when left untouched may cause additional bleeding and severe inflammation and puffiness of the gums. This is a condition where root planing is the generally a choice of treatment which cleans at a much deeper level, going straight to the root ends of the teeth. Generally painless and significantly fast, laser teeth cleaning is a procedure that is gaining preference and precedence over manual teeth cleaning. The general dentists at Saini Smiles will suggest and follow through with a treatment that is most appropriate to suit your dental needs.