Teeth cleanings at least twice a year are a major part of your oral health. No matter how well you might brush and floss, you still need professional cleaning to keep your teeth and gums in optimal shape. Teeth cleaning includes plaque and tartar removal, plus polishing of your newly clean teeth. It's amazing how much fresher your mouth feels after a dental cleaning!

Scaling and root planning is a deep cleaning below the gumline used to treat gum disease. This deep cleaning has two parts. Scaling is when your hygienist removes all the plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) above and below the gum line, making sure to clean all the way down to the bottom of the pocket. Your hygienist will then begin root planning, smoothing out your teeth roots to help your gums reattach to your teeth. Scaling and root planning may take more than one visit to complete and may require a local anesthetic.

Periodontal maintenance is distinctly different than a normal teeth cleaning and is most commonly utilized for patients who have had active perio treatment. The objective of periodontal maintenance is to keep the disease under control. Your appointments typically are three to four months apart so we can maintain and keep your gums healthy.

Full mouth debridement is often necessary to complete a proper evaluation and subsequent cleaning. The American Dental Association describes a full mouth debridement as the “gross removal of plaque and calculus that interfere with the ability of the dentist to perform a comprehensive oral evaluation."