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The Kinds of Dental Cleanings
You should visit your dentist twice a year to have your teeth cleaned. This will help you maintain your teeth and ensure there aren't any major oral health concerns developing in your mouth.
But did you know that your dentist may employ a variety of cleaning techniques depending on your specific needs?
When you understand what each of the dental cleaning treatments entails, you will be better able to comprehend the terminology your dentist uses and what it takes to maintain your oral health and keep your smile bright.
Prophylaxis Cleaning
A prophylaxis cleaning is a routine cleaning that is designed to remove a specific amount of plaque and tartar from the surface of your teeth, between your teeth, and on your gums. Most of the time it is performed on patients who have an overall healthy mouth and practice good oral hygiene. Additionally, it will remove surface stains from your teeth.
This cleaning will most likely be performed at one of your regularly scheduled dental appointments. It is also usually performed by a dental hygienist, but your dentist also has the skills and knowledge to perform a prophylaxis cleaning if required.
Gross Debridement
If you haven't seen a dentist in a long time, you probably have a significant amount of plaque buildup on and between your teeth, as well as on your gums and tongue. A thorough debridement, also called a deep cleaning, is a procedure that eliminates plaque and tartar from all areas of your mouth.
Your dentist will inspect your mouth to determine whether or not you require a gross debridement cleaning procedure. If needed, a thorough debridement can be carried out prior to the administration of a normal prophylaxis.
Scaling and Root Planing
Patients suffering from gum disorders such as gingivitis or periodontitis are frequently recommended this more intrusive, non-surgical teeth cleaning method.
Your dentist will do a thorough cleaning of your gums, gum line, and any other tissues that support your teeth. It may take many dental sessions to finish the cleaning since they need to smooth out the surface of your tooth root as well as remove any plaque and tartar that has formed on it.
Periodontal Maintenance
Patients who suffer from common oral health concerns such as gingivitis or periodontitis will usually require periodontal care in order to keep these illnesses under control and prevent them from progressing.
These individuals often require many visits over a specific length of time or until all oral health concerns have been addressed in order for the dentist to thoroughly clean their whole mouth.