Scaling & Root Planing

The scaling and root planing procedure is your first line of defense against periodontitis, periodontal disease or gum disease. This treatment is an initial non-surgical treatment used to help decrease inflammation and halt the progress of bone loss due to gum disease.

In a lot of cases, the scaling and root planing procedure is done to minimize the amount of periodontal surgery necessary. It can also be the only treatment needed for periodontitis, but it depends on how deep the measurements are, how much bleeding, and how much bone loss there is.

We treat our patients on a case-by-case basis with customized treatment plans. The best treatment method for your case will depend on the severity of your condition.

Is a deep cleaning the same as scaling and root planing? Yes it is. With this procedure, we’re performing a deep cleaning of the gums and tooth roots to remove bacteria and encourage healthy gums to reattach to the teeth.

Scaling and Root Planing: What to Expect

During this treatment, we carefully clean the crowns of your teeth as well as the root surfaces under the gums. Using specialized dental tools, we remove bacteria, toxins and tartar that build in pockets between your teeth and gums. (These pockets form as bacteria continues to build up below the gumline, causing the gums to recede from the teeth and spacious pockets to develop.)

We will then smooth the rough surface of the tooth root, which allows the gums to reattach to the teeth.

As patient comfort is one of our top priorities, we will administer a local anesthetic to ease any discomfort. Nitrous oxide analgesia is also an option to help alleviate apprehension!

It’s normal to experience some soreness after a deep cleaning procedure. We recommend taking Extra Strength Tylenol or similar over the counter medications, like Advil or Motrin.

How long does scaling and root planing take?

The length of your treatment will depend on your specific case. Scaling and root planing can take a couple of hours, at two separate visits. Some patients may be able to complete the process in one visit, while others require two.

Once we assess your condition, we’ll tell you how long the procedure is likely to take.

Healing After Scaling and Root Planing

How long does it take for gums to heal after deep cleaning?

On average, it takes anywhere from 5 to 7 days for the gums to heal after a deep cleaning.

While your mouth is healing, you may experience some bleeding and swelling of the gums. Your teeth are likely to be sensitive, as their roots have recently been exposed. This also indicates a thorough cleaning!

We will schedule a follow-up appointment with you so we can assess the size of the pockets between the teeth and gums. We want to ensure that you don’t develop a gum infection after deep cleaning.

Have questions about scaling and root planing?

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions! We’re dedicated to providing expert periodontal care for the people in and around our communities.

Our experienced periodontists use state-of-the-art technologies throughout all of our services, because your comfort is most important to us. Find out why Periodontal Health Center is one of the top periodontists in Tampa and New Port Richey when you schedule an appointment with us.