Periodontal scaling and root planing for gum disease in Keene, NH
Your gums quite literally lay the foundation for healthy, beautiful smiles. Gum tissues help keep your teeth firmly in place, protect the sensitive roots, and play a significant role in the appearance of your smile. Unfortunately, gum disease is widespread and can take an enormous toll on your oral health, leading to gum recession, loose teeth, bone loss, and ultimately tooth loss if left untreated. At Monadnock Perio & Implant Center in Keene, NH, we specialize in treating gum disease and offer various options, such as periodontal scaling and root planing, to help combat this insidious disease.
What is scaling and root planing?
Also sometimes called “deep cleaning,” scaling and root planing is a treatment performed on patients who have periodontal pockets formed due to gum disease. These pockets are areas where the gums have pulled away from the teeth due to bacteria and plaque on the teeth. Plaque then becomes trapped in the pockets, which cannot be removed by brushing and flossing at home, contributing to further inflammation and disease. Scaling and root planing consists of two parts that are designed to clean out these pockets and then help your gums reattach to the teeth:
- Scaling is when we remove the plaque and tartar on the visible portion of the teeth and below the gum line, and in the pockets.
- Root planing is the process of smoothing out your tooth roots so that your gums can better reattach to your teeth and reduce the pocket size.
Tailored treatment plans for patients to prevent or treat gum disease and other periodontal diseases
So, my goal for this Gum Disease Awareness Month is to let the public and the patients know that gum disease exists and is very prevalent, and third, we like to create an environment for patients to know that they can always walk into a periodontist for their best interests when they think they are experiencing gum disease.
Gum disease is silent; it’s a silent killer, so a lot of times, patients don’t necessarily experience the pain or discomfort and they just let the disease progress. And by the time they usually have discomfort or pain or wobbling of the teeth, usually, unfortunately, the treatment options that we have are, unfortunately, very limited.
First, we do focus a lot on preventive care, on how to prevent gum diseases. Cause, ultimately, what it really matters is what the patient is doing at home, not what is happening in the chair, a lot of times. So, we actually prep the patient how to take care of their teeth at home prior to providing any treatment. And these treatments that we do will involve many, many different kinds , which is traditional non-surgical therapy where we go in and then we try to do deep cleaning, or it can mean conventional periodontal surgical procedures where we, we track the gum and, so that we can gain more access to the ulterior that are deep in the bone, or a more cutting-edge approach which is more contemporary using a laser to eradicate this ulterior in a non-invasive way.
Scaling and root planing effectiveness
Many patients ask us if scaling and root planing works, and the answer is a resounding yes! Scaling and root planing before and after photos speak for themselves – by cleaning out periodontal pockets and promoting healthy reattachment of the gums to the teeth, inflammation in the area is reduced. Your body can fight the infection better and begin the healing process.
Does scaling and root planing hurt?
Before your treatment, we will use a local anesthetic if needed to keep you comfortable and pain-free. Some patients experience pain and sensitivity for a few days after their treatment. We may apply medication to the pocket after cleaning or prescribe you a prescription or mouth rinse to help prevent further infection and control pain. We will also work with you to develop a maintenance plan to help keep your gums healthy after your initial treatment.
At Monadnock Perio & Implant Center, we care about your oral health and always welcome new patients to our dental family. Call us in Keene, NH today at (603) 215-5800 to schedule your appointment.