Scaling & Root Planing in Murrells Inlet, SC

You may already be visiting the dentist every six months like you should be, and that means you’re familiar with the routine cleaning process every dental hygienist carries out. This process includes scaling your teeth and gumline to remove plaque and tartar buildup and then polishing to remove stains and smooth out the surface of your tooth. All of this goes very far in keeping your teeth and gums healthy.

However, if you are showing symptoms of gum disease, your dentist is likely to recommend a deeper clean known as scaling and root planing.

With this more in-depth and detailed non-surgical procedure, your dentist will often employ a local anesthetic to keep you comfortable. Depending on the extent of your signs/symptoms, you may have to come back for a couple visits to have your entire mouth thoroughly looked after.

This procedure involves scaling all the bacterial toxins, plaque, and tartar deposits from the surfaces of your teeth and roots. This process goes deeper into your gumline than the typical cleaning procedure does. Root planing will then be carried out to smooth out the rough areas on the surface of your teeth. This important because smooth surfaces on the roots will keep bacteria, plaque, and tartar from being able to adhere to the surface.

A root scaling and planing procedure goes very deep into the surface of your gumline, which is why you’ll be asked to come back for a follow-up visit where your dentist will check the healing of your gums. Usually, if your gums were red and swollen at your last visit, they’ll be pink and firm again. Bleeding should be greatly reduced or even eliminated as well, and your pockets should have gotten stronger.

To see if scaling & root planing in Murrells Inlet is right for you, visit our office today.