At Eagle Gate Dental, we understand that our patients want an attractive smile. We also understand that, if the teeth and gums are healthy, they can look their best. This is why we focus a great deal of our practice on general dentistry services to prevent oral health complications, and restorative dentistry services to treat oral health problems. These services not only focus on the health of the teeth, but also the health of the gums, which is vital to a patient’s overall oral health. Without a healthy base of support, it is difficult to maintain strong, healthy, attractive teeth. Periodontal disease is one of the most common problems to affect the gums, but we can often combat periodontal disease and restore health to the gums by offering our Salt Lake City patients root planing and scaling.

What Is Root Planing and Scaling?

Root planing and scaling sounds like an intimidating treatment to many of our patients, but it is a fairly simple procedure that allows our dentists to deep clean the teeth. With this procedure, the cleaning extends below the gum line to remove bacteria, plaque, and tartar that may be trapped in periodontal pockets. This is considered a non-invasive treatment and can be performed with just the use of local anesthetic to numb the gums and ensure patient comfort. Root planing and scaling is an effective treatment for mild to advanced stages of gum disease, and often allows us to restore gum health while avoiding the need for invasive oral surgery.

The first step of root planing and scaling is the removal of plaque, tartar, and any other unhealthy debris. This is known as the “scaling” portion of the treatment and is done using either a handheld dental tool or a dental laser. Removing this plaque and bacteria is vital to improving the health of the gums and promoting the growth of new, healthy gum tissue, which will help to close any gaps or pockets that have developed between the teeth and gums.

The second part of treatment, “root planing,” allows our dentists to file down any rough patches that are present on the roots of the teeth. By smoothing the surface of the roots, we can make it more difficult for bacteria, plaque, and tartar to cling to the teeth. As a final precaution, we are likely to follow-up root planing and scaling treatment with an anti-bacterial rinse, which will further ensure that all bacteria and infection is eliminated.

Recovery

Recovery from root planing and scaling is quick. Patients are able to leave our office and immediately resume their usual activities. At most, patients may feel a slight increase in gum sensitivity and may experience a mild swelling of the gums for the first few days after treatment. Most patients are surprised to see how quickly the gums heal after treatment, restoring healthy, pink, gum tissue and improving oral comfort.

Contact Us

If left untreated, gum disease poses a serious threat to a patient’s oral health. Fortunately, with early intervention, periodontal disease can be easily treated so that patients can enjoy a healthy and attractive smile. If you are in need of gum disease treatment, contact us to learn more about root planing and scaling. We look forward to hearing from you!