Treatments - Scaling

Scaling is the cleaning and polishing of teeth to remove plaque, calculus (tarter) and external stains (those of tobacco, tea, coffee, food stains, etc.) from the surface of the teeth. It may be completed in one or more sittings depending upon the amount of tarter and stains. Deeper cleaning and curettage may be required in cases of more spongy and bleeding gums or in which gum pockets (detachment of gums from the teeth) have formed.

Periodontal (gum) disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. The main cause of periodontal disease is bacterial plaque (sticky, colorless film that forms on the teeth). Secondary causes which lead to gum diseases are smoking (tobacco use), genetics,  pregnancy, puberty, stress, diabetes, poor nutrition, auto-immune conditions, poor restorations, bad occlusion, and certain medications.

Detachment of gums from the teeth

Symptoms of gum diseases are:

• Red, swollen gums
• tenderness and/or pain in the gums
• bleeding during brushing and flossing
• persistent bad breath or bad taste in the mouth
• changes in occlusion (meeting of upper and lower teeth)
• shifting or loosening of teeth
• pus coming from between teeth and gums
• separation of gums from the teeth
• teeth that look longer because the gums have receded

Plaque will build up daily on teeth and this build up can be controlled by regular daily brushing and flossing. As this plaque builds up overtime it hardens and becomes calculus. Studies show that mouth rinses are effective at inhibiting plaque build-up, but not removing it. Built-up plaque and calculus can only be removed by professional cleaning.
Regular cleaning by your dentist will, with proper daily brushing and flossing, prevent periodontal disease.

           
                Before                                                 After

Scaling and Root planing is a common initial treatment for periodontal (gum) diseases. Scaling involves cleaning of the tooth above while root planing is the cleaning deep below the gum line. The goal is to remove any plaque and calculus that have accumulated on the tooth surface. The root is planed until it is smooth.A smooth and clean tooth surface provides a much better environment for the gums to reattach to the tooth. This reattachment results in a reduced pocket size and an environment in which the bacterial growth is less.
In the advanced stages of periodontitis, periodontal surgery (gingivectomy, flap surgery, grafting, etc) is needed to successfully treat the disease. Sometimes, in the advanced stages some gums and teeth may already be too badly damaged to save and then extraction is required.