Scaling and Root Planing

Scaling and Root Planing

Scaling and root planing is a careful cleaning of the root surfaces to remove plaque and calculus from deep pockets and to smooth the tooth root to remove bacterial toxins.

This cleaning is more indepth than a routine prophylaxis (polish) that you typically receive once per year at your dentist’s office.

Research has consistently demonstrated that scaling and root planing reduces gingival inflammation and probing depths and shifts the bacteria composition living in these pockets from one associated with disease toward one associated with health. Scaling and root planing is usually the first mode of treatment recommended for most patients.

Depending on how your periodontal disease has advanced, scaling and root planing may require several visits. In cases of early stage periodontal disease or localized periodontitis (one area of your mouth), scaling and root planing may be completed in one or two visits. However, if advanced periodontitis is present throughout the mouth the scaling and root planning treatment will need several visits treating one quadrant of the mouth at a time.

We will work closely with you to determine the best course of action to achieve optimum results.