Scaling and root planing is a special dental procedure designed to treat gum disease, and it’s a bit more involved than your regular dental cleaning. It’s done when plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) build up beneath your gums, deep in the pockets around your teeth. This can happen if gum disease has developed, causing your gums to become inflamed or infected.

Here’s how it works:

  • Scaling: The first part of the procedure, called scaling, involves your dentist or hygienist using special tools to remove the plaque and tartar from the surfaces of your teeth, both above and below the gum line. This is important because regular cleaning only removes the plaque that’s above the gum line. Scaling targets the plaque and tartar that’s below the gum line, where it’s harder to reach with a regular cleaning.
  • Root Planing: After scaling, the second part is root planing. This involves smoothing out the rough spots on the roots of your teeth. When plaque and tartar build up, they can make the roots of your teeth rough, which can irritate the gums and prevent them from healing properly. By smoothing the roots, root planing helps the gums reattach more securely to your teeth and reduces the chance of further infection.

Now, why can’t a regular cleaning be done until scaling and root planing is complete? Regular dental cleanings only remove plaque and tartar from the visible part of your teeth, above the gum line. However, if gum disease has caused a buildup beneath the gums, a regular cleaning won’t be enough to clean those deeper pockets and prevent the disease from progressing. Scaling and root planing are necessary to clean these areas thoroughly and to treat the underlying gum disease, which will help your gums heal and stay healthy.

At our office, we typically perform scaling and root planing in two quadrants per visit. A quadrant refers to one of the four sections of your mouth.

This is done for a couple of reasons:

  • Insurance Coverage: Most dental insurance companies only cover scaling and root planing for two quadrants per visit, so we follow this to ensure the treatment is covered properly.
  • Numbing: This procedure can be a bit more intense than a regular cleaning, so we need to numb each section (quadrant) of your mouth to make sure you’re comfortable. The numbness helps ensure you don’t feel any discomfort while the dentist or hygienist works below the gum line to clean and smooth the teeth and roots.

By breaking up the treatment into two quadrants per visit, it allows us to focus on one area at a time, making sure everything is done thoroughly, while also making sure you’re comfortable during the procedure. It’s important to keep your gums healthy, and scaling and root planing is the first step in treating gum disease and preventing it from getting worse. Once your have completed Scaling and root planning you will need to return every 3-4 months for periodontal maintenance cleaning in order to keep your gums disease free.