Scaling and Root Planing
Tigard OR
 Periodontitis is a gum disease that weakens your gums and destroys their soft tissue. Gum tissue cannot regenerate on its own and thus, this disease may lead to permanent gum damage. If periodontitis diseased teeth are left untreated, the infection might spread to the bone that houses the roots of your teeth and may lead to the loss of your teeth in their entirety. There are a variety of treatment methods in order to reconstruct your mouth’s health, and two of them are non-surgical. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of periodontal disease, Lincoln Center Smiles can help treat the issue before it grows worse.
Scaling and Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is the non-surgical process of cleaning up your teeth in order to get rid of any remnants and bacteria which may be the root cause of your diseases. This involves removal of tartar and calculus, plaque (a layer formed by saliva, food and drink particles on your teeth which gives off an image of discoloration), and other stains formed on the crown, enamel, or roots of your teeth. The process is often separated into two appointments due to its complexity. During the beginning of the procedure, our dental team will clean the lower and upper parts of one side of your mouth. Then, the other sides of the gums and roots in your mouth are cleaned in the second appointment.
During the procedure, our team follows certain steps to ensure the most efficient treatment and recovery. The first step is going to be the local anesthesia. This will help with pain and hemorrhage and is the most widely used form of anesthesia during this type of treatment. Then, they will inject the anesthesia into your mouth in order to numb the area that is receiving the treatment. You will stay awake for the whole duration but will not feel any pain because we will make sure that your mouth is numb. Next, our team will begin scaling your teeth in order to make sure that the plaque and calculus behind and between the gums and on the base of all of your teeth are removed.
Often this is done manually, but there is a chance we can use a sort of ultrasonic instrument, but both will remove the tartar and plaque remnants efficiently. In order to then remove what we have loosened, the teeth and root surfaces are cleaned and scraped in all directions. Then, we will begin root planing, a process that essentially smoothens any jagged areas of your teeth and bones and removes any bacterial remnants. This is when we will deep clean below the gum line in order to completely remove plaque and tartar that often builds up on the roots of the teeth. Additionally, we will need to remove cementum, which is the film composed of calcium that can cover a tooth’s entire root.
Post Procedure Care
After the treatment, we will flush out the entire area in order to eliminate lingering bacteria, if any. We will then maneuver the gum tissue with pressure in order to ensure that it grows properly. You will most likely experience a negligible amount of pain after the treatment but only a few days later will you notice healing and the re-growth of your gums. Gums that are healed correctly will appear to be firm and shaped normally. It is of utmost importance that you practice the best oral hygiene which means brushing and flossing your teeth after every meal, as well as visiting our dental office at least twice a year. At the visit directly after the treatments, we will examine your soon to be healed gums to ensure that the affected areas have almost completely been eliminated from your gum tissue.
It is not wise to leave diseased teeth and gums unattended as sooner or later, your condition is bound to worsen to the point where you might lose your permanent teeth completely. If you or someone you know needs a nonsurgical periodontal treatment, please contact Lincoln Center Smiles by calling (503) 598-0898 today.
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