Service
Deep cleaning
A deep cleaning, called scaling and root planing, removes plaque and tartar from below the gum line and smooths the roots.
It is for people whose exam shows gum disease below the gum line, where a regular cleaning can't reach. Smoother roots give the gums a surface to settle against. Your dentist tells you whether you need one, and what it would and wouldn't do.
Services
From the first look to the follow-up
- 01
Step 1: A gum check first
The hygienist measures the gums and your dentist reviews the numbers and X-rays, if you need them. You hear what a deep cleaning would do before you decide.
- 02
Step 2: Numbing
We numb the area being cleaned. If you want more, ask at any point.
- 03
Step 3: The cleaning, one side at a time
Often two visits, one side of the mouth each. The hygienist uses an ultrasonic tool and hand instruments below the gum line.
- 04
Step 4: A check a few weeks later
We measure again, and the dentist tells you what changed and what did not.
- 05
Step 5: Maintenance visits
Then the visits that keep the gums steady, at the interval your dentist sets.
Services
Comfort, choices and care
Comfort
We numb the area being cleaned, and more on request. Most people feel pressure, not pain, and we stop whenever you ask. If you are nervous, tell us at the start and we will go slowly.
Other choices, and waiting
If the exam shows gum disease only at an early stage, a regular cleaning and closer home care may be where your dentist starts. Once it is below the gum line, a regular cleaning can't reach it. Left alone, gum disease can go on to loosen teeth; your dentist shows you where you stand and what waiting would mean.
Risks and after-care
Gums can be sore and teeth sensitive to hot and cold for a few days, and gums may bleed a little. Gums may pull back slightly as swelling goes down. Use a soft brush, and call us if pain or swelling grows. Results vary: a deep cleaning does not replace bone that is already lost.
How it is billed
A deep cleaning is billed by area of the mouth under its own procedure code, and many plans cover it differently from a routine cleaning. We check what your plan says, give you an estimate in writing before the first visit and you decide.
How fees work
Questions about deep cleaning
How many visits is a deep cleaning?
Often two, one side of the mouth each. The hygienist sets it from your measurements.
Will my gums go back to normal?
Gums that are red and swollen from plaque often calm down. Gums that have pulled back usually don't grow back. Results vary, and your next measurements show how yours responded.
Can I go to work afterward?
Most people do. Numbness wears off in a few hours, and we tell you what to eat until it does.
Why not just a regular cleaning?
A regular cleaning stays above the gum line. If plaque and tartar sit below it, they keep irritating the gums.
Provided by a general dentist
Deep cleaning at Hickory Grove Dental is provided by our general dentists and hygienists. Ask for a visit and we will call with a time.