What is it? | Consultation | Procedure | Recovery | Safety & Risks

What is a Deep Cleaning treatment?

Deep cleaning is a dental procedure performed to prevent or treat periodontal disease. A dentist’s diagnosis of periodontal disease can be quite disconcerting, but it is controllable with regular dental visits for deep cleaning of the periodontal pockets. Periodontal refers to the area of the gum that surrounds the tooth and holds it in place. According to the American Dental Association, when bacteria get trapped in the periodontal pocket between the tooth and gum, the gum weakens and the bone is left vulnerable to decay. Left untreated, this can result in the loss of teeth.

Scaling and Root Planing

The initial and primary treatment of periodontal disease is deep cleaning, also known as scaling and root planing. Scaling entails the scraping of plaque and tartar from the teeth above and below the gum surface. Root planing occurs simultaneous with scaling and involves the smoothing of rough layers of the teeth. Both procedures work in concert to facilitate healing of the periodontal pockets by removing harmful bacteria and shutting down areas where such bacteria can grow. A local anesthetic is typically provided during the deep cleaning, which could require more than one visit depending upon the extent of the disease. An oral anti-microbial rinse may also be prescribed to further neutralize the bacteria and promote healing. If the depths of the pockets reduce or stabilize as a result of the treatment, the disease can be controlled with quarterly or semiannual visits to the dentist. If the treatment is less successful, the dentist may refer the patient to a periodontist for possible surgery with the objective of getting a deeper scaling underneath the gums. Periodontal deep cleaning can be uncomfortable for the 30 minutes to an hour the patient is in the dentist’s chair, but it is worth it in the long run to retain a smile.

Periodontal disease is typically diagnosed in adults in their 30s or 40s. A classic symptom is bleeding gums, which can occur during brushing or flossing. Other symptoms include loose or shifting teeth, and redness and swelling of the gums. A patient should schedule a visit with his or her dentist to investigate these symptoms and commence appropriate treatment.

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Consultation

During your first consultation the dentist of your choice will ask you a number of questions and discuss the following health related topics, desires and lifestyle to evaluate your medical record:

1. Your medical condition, drug allergies and previous medical treatments.
2. If and what kind of current medications, vitamins, herbal supplements, alcohol, tobacco & drugs you use.
3. If and which previous surgeries you have already realized.
4. Your general health status and any pre-existing health conditions or risk factors.
5. Define if you´re a candidate for the specific procedure. This will help the dentist to get a feel for what you want and understand your needs and concerns. Your Dentist will also inform you where your procedure will be performed. This facility, like an office-based surgical center, outpatient or ambulatory surgical center, or a hospital, is accredited and regularly audited by FlyClinic®.

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Procedure

The dentist finds the first hint of periodontal disease upon review of regular dental x-rays, which indicate some degree of bone loss to the teeth. To better understand the stage of the disease, the dentist then probes each tooth to measure the depth of its periodontal pocket. A depth of more than 3 millimeters usually confirms the diagnosis of periodontal disease.

Depending on the depth of the pocket and severity of the root surface irregularity, the dentist may wish to make the area numb so that the process is comfortable for you. Don’t hesitate to discuss with your dentist or hygienist how to best manage any discomfort. As an alternative to injectable anesthetics, Oraqix might be an option to try with deeper pocket cleaning. It is a special non-injection device that delivers topical anesthetic gel gently into the gum pockets thereby avoiding numbing of the lips and or tongue as can occur with injected local anesthetics. Oraqix mostly numbs the gum pocket itself so it may not be effective in eliminating sensations in the teeth themselves. Some offices may not have this device so it’s best to check with your dental office.

Sometimes if the pockets are not too deep, there may be little or no discomfort during the procedure – even without numbing. The only sensation may be the physical scraping feeling along the teeth as the area is cleaned and smoothened. A root planed root surface free of tartar has a better chance of allowing the gum tissues to heal and reattach to it. As a result, some deep gum pockets can be reduced after a deep cleaning.

Typically with deeper pockets and extensive rough root surfaces, the deep scaling and root planing procedure might be broken down into quadrants of work per appointment. For example, the upper right side of the mouth might be worked on one day, and the three other parts worked on at separate appointments. Or alternatively, one half of the mouth (right or left, upper or lower) might be cleaned per appointment. This also allows for only a part of the mouth being frozen at a time and makes for more manageable, shorter appointments.

The dentist may use antibiotic gels within the periodontal pocket, again to remove any nasty bugs, or may rinse out the pocket with various medications such as chlorhexidine.

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Recovery from Surgery

According to the ADA and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the keys to avoiding the diagnosis of periodontal disease are daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste along with flossing after each meal, maintenance of a balanced diet and cessation of smoking. Regular dental visits help to support these efforts. Once diagnosed, a patient will always have periodontal disease. However, with deep cleaning treatments at regular intervals, the disease can be controlled and tooth loss prevented.

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Safety & Risks

It is FlyClinic®´s concern to provide you comprehensive information about the procedure you want to choose, as well as important facts about the safety and risks of the procedure you selected. After a Deep Cleaning treatment you should expect:

* Discomfort can vary after root planing, but one can expect it to be more sore afterwards since it’s usually in a deeper region under the gums.

* The teeth themselves can become a bit more sensitive to temperature, and bleeding might occur for a little while.

* Over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen work very well to alleviate discomfort, but stronger painkillers can be given should you need them.

* Brushing and flossing can be delayed or done more gently to avoid aggravating any bruised or tender gum areas.

* Your dentist or hygienist may recommend salt water or chlorhexidine rinses.
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