If you have gum disease, Dr. Hope Still can perform a scaling and root planing treatment to remove plaque, calculus, and harmful bacteria from your mouth, enhancing the healing process so that you can once again enjoy a healthy smile.
Scaling and root planing is one of the most common and effective general dentistry treatments recommended for gum disease before it becomes severe. This is a deep cleaning treatment that includes two main steps:
- Scaling: In scaling, we remove plaque and tartar (dental calculus) from the tooth surface.
- Root Planing: This step involves cleaning the roots of the teeth, smoothing the root to remove bacterial toxins.
The goals of scaling and root planing are to remove bacteria, plaque, and tartar, and to halt the progress of the disease. While most scaling and root planing treatments can be completed comfortably without anesthetic, our dentist is happy to offer anesthetic and other comfort options to make certain that you feel at ease during your treatment. The scaling and root planing treatment may be split up into several appointments, in which we treat one section of the mouth at each appointment.
Scaling and root planing may be combined with other types of periodontal therapy, such as antibiotic treatment. For most patients, scaling and root planing is enough to prevent periodontal disease from progressing further. For more information about the benefits of scaling and root planing, and to learn more about the other types of periodontal treatment we offer, please do not hesitate to contact our office.