When it comes to dental cleaning, there are two distinct types: routine teeth cleaning and deep cleaning. While they sound similar, they are not the same service. Both, however, can be critical to your oral health.
Here at Orange Premier Dental, we provide professional tooth cleaning and deep cleaning services for patients in and around the Orange, CA, area. To learn more about either, or to schedule your initial consultation, contact our office today.
Routine dental cleaning removes plaque and tartar buildup from the teeth and gets rid of surface stains. Dentists recommend people have their teeth cleaned at least twice a year for optimal dental health.
"Deep dental cleaning, however, is a slightly different procedure. You may need it if you’ve been neglecting those regular cleanings and have developed gum disease as a result. Deep dental cleaning, also called periodontal scaling and root planing (SRP), focuses on removing debris from the outer surface of the roots and the area below the gum line.
Depending on the severity of the gum disease, deep dental cleaning may be performed under local anesthesia and may require several appointments to complete.
You're probably familiar with the idea that lasers have revolutionized many industries. But were you aware that they've even expanded into dental care? Dental hygienists can use lasers post procedurally to kill bacteria deeper than the reach of current instrumentation. Lasers have other benefits for preventive care too.
When you eat or drink, bacteria builds up on the surface of the teeth. Daily brushing and flossing keep bacteria levels reasonable, and routine dental cleaning removes built-up plaque and tartar and returns your teeth to a “clean slate” state.
However, if you skip those cleanings, the bacteria and plaque build up to a dangerous level, moving deeper into the gaps between your teeth and causing chronic inflammation in the gums.
Once your mouth is in this state, a deep cleaning may be necessary. The deep cleaning goes below the gum line to remove deep, set-in pockets of bacteria and infection, which allows your body to heal itself and stop the cycle of oral damage. Without deep cleaning, this infection will continue unmitigated, causing irreversible bone damage and dental decay and putting your overall health at risk.
When you make a deep dental cleaning appointment with Orange Premier Dental, here’s what you can expect on treatment day:
As is true with all procedures, our team will start your deep cleaning with an initial exam of your teeth and mouth. During this exam, we’ll look at your gums, mouth, and teeth to identify any injuries, sore spots, or areas of special concern.
During the scaling part of the deep cleaning, your dentist will remove tartar and plaque buildup both below and on top of your gums. You may hear some scraping noises. Keep in mind that those noises are normal and that this procedure is perfectly safe for your teeth and mouth.
The next step is planing. During planing, the dentist will encourage the reattachment of your teeth to your gums by smoothing out the roots. This process can be uncomfortable and is often performed under a local anesthetic. Finally, the dentist may use focused laser therapy to help resolve lingering infections and promote healing in the mouth and along the gum line.
Laser therapy is used alongside traditional dental therapies. During laser periodontal therapy, your dental hygienist will use a laser to gently and precisely remove inflamed gum tissue from near the tooth's root. Using a laser allows us to also kill bacteria that is living beyond the reach of traditional dental instruments and triggers bio stimulation that regenerates tissue and helps speed up healing time.
During the healing process we expect your gums to slowly tighten up around your tooth and remain free from infection. There are many benefits of laser bacterial reduction including:
Since deep cleaning is such an involved process, it takes longer than a routine cleaning. In fact, deep cleaning may take several visits, depending on the severity of your gum disease.
Generally speaking, a full mouth deep cleaning is completed in 1 or 2 visits. Once the procedure is finished, you may experience some soreness or tenderness at the treatment site, although this should dissipate within a few hours.
Gum disease is preventable and reversible as long as you get the oral health care you need. When you need professional deep cleaning services, you can count on Orange Premier Dental. Our team provides expert deep cleaning services you can count on to protect and preserve your dental health.
