To maintain oral health, you should plan to have a professional dental cleaning performed by our Wyoming family dentist or dental hygienist.
Most dental cleanings take about 30 minutes and should be scheduled for every six months to prevent excessive plaque buildup. If left untreated, plaque can lead to unhealthy gums and tooth decay. Our Wyoming teeth cleaning dentist will be able to help you maintain good oral health.
Depending on the health of your teeth and gums, you may experience different treatments during your appointment. For example, patients with early periodontitis will need a deep cleaning through teeth scaling and root planing. Patients with healthy teeth and gums won’t require the same intensive treatment. The first step of any appointment is a physical exam to determine what treatments will best suit your oral health needs.
Teeth Scaling
Scaling is the process of removing plaque and tartar from all tooth surfaces using a variety of methods, depending on the amount of plaque and tartar. While most dental hygienists traditionally perform scaling by hand, new advanced technology has led to methods using electric scalers. This sophisticated tool allows teeth cleanings to be performed more efficiently and in less time. To achieve best results, both electric and manual scaling methods are often combined for dental cleanings.
Root Planing
Root planing is the process of cleaning pockets in the gums to treat moderate to advanced gum disease and to prevent future problems. When the gums are inflamed, gum pockets become deeper and may lose connections to the underlying bone. The deeper the pockets, the easier it is for plaque deposits to become trapped and cause problems.
During the root planing procedure, your dentist will insert a pointed dental scaler into the gum pockets to remove plaque buildup. Depending on the degree of difficulty, root planing may take several appointments and a local anesthesia may be used to prevent pain.
Teeth Polishing
The final step of the dental cleaning process involves polishing your teeth and finishing the surface of the teeth to make them shiny and clean. There are two kinds of polishing: air polishing and rubber tip polishing. Air polishing works by spraying high-pressured water mixed with baking soda paste onto the surface of your teeth. This washes away residue and plaque while baking soda removes stains. Rubber cup polishing uses a low-speed, gentle hand piece containing a polishing paste made of abrasive ingredients ideal for removing stains.
Dr. Helmus DDS at River Ridge Family & Cosmetic Dentistry is dedicated to helping patients maintain good oral health through routine teeth cleanings. If you are interested in scheduling a dental cleaning, call our Wyoming family dentistry at (616) 538-7320.