4 Things You Need To Know About Scaling And Root Planing

Periodontitis is a severe form of gum disease that can destroy both your gum tissue and the nearby bones and ligaments. If your dentist has diagnosed you with periodontitis, he or she may recommend a deep-cleaning treatment known as scaling and root planing. Here are four things you need to know about this treatment option.

How is this procedure performed?

This treatment involves two steps: scaling and root planing. During the scaling portion of your treatment, your dentist will use a metal instrument called a scaler to scrape calculus off of your teeth. Some dentists use an ultrasonic device instead of a scaler; these devices are power-driven and remove calculus by vibrating quickly. Once the calculus is removed from your teeth, your dentist will polish the surfaces of your teeth to make them smooth and harder for calculus to stick to.

Once the scaling is done, it's time for the root planing portion of the treatment. When you have periodontitis, your gums pull away from your roots and create a pocket that is hard to keep clean. The goal of root planing is to remove calculus from your roots.

Your dentist will use a metal tool called a curette to reach into the pocket and to remove the calculus from your roots. If your dentist can't reach all of the calculus in this way, he or she will need to make an incision into your gum tissue to access the roots. Once all of the calculus is removed, your root surfaces will be smoothed

How does it work?

Periodontitis occurs when bacteria-filled plaque accumulates along your gum line. If you don't remove plaque within 24 to 36 hours, it hardens and turns into calculus. You can't remove calculus at home, so it remains on your teeth until your next professional dental cleaning. While it's there, the bacteria within it irritate your gum tissue and lead to inflammation and infection. Eventually, this infection affects not only your gum tissue but your ligaments and bones, and the result is periodontitis.

To treat periodontitis, the cause of the disease, calculus, needs to be removed. Once the calculus is gone, your gum tissue will finally get the chance to heal from the infection.

Does scaling and root planing hurt?

Your dentist will numb your gums with an injection of local anesthesia before your deep-cleaning procedure starts, so you won't feel any pain while the dentist is working. Once the treatment is over and the anesthesia wears off, you can expect pain along your gum line. Right after the treatment, you'll have throbbing pain, but the worst of the pain should be over in a few hours. The pain should go away in a few days.

Your dentist may recommend using an over-the-counter pain reliever to help manage your discomfort after the treatment. You may also be advised to stick to soft foods like scrambled eggs or pudding until your discomfort subsides.

Will other treatments be required?

In addition to scaling and root planing, your dentist may prescribe antibiotics to help kill the bacteria that are causing your periodontitis. For mild cases of periodontitis, this may be all that is needed. In more advanced cases, you may need to have surgery as well. If you need surgery, your dentist may perform a procedure such as pocket reduction surgery. During this surgery, your dentist will make incisions in your gum tissue and sew them tightly back in place to get rid of the pockets between your gums and roots.

If you have periodontitis, you'll need to undergo scaling and root planing, and if necessary, other treatments may also be required. Make an appointment with your dentist to get this procedure done right away so that your gums can start to heal.