Scaling and Root Planing
If you’ve been diagnosed with periodontal (gum) disease, our doctors may recommend a non-surgical periodontal treatment called scaling and root planing. This procedure is designed to halt the progression of early-stage gum disease and initiate the healing process to repair the damage it causes.
Ideally your bone and gum tissue should fit snugly around your teeth like a turtleneck around your neck. However, when gum disease is present, this supporting tissue and bone deteriorate, creating “pockets” around your teeth. These pockets are deep spaces below the gumline that are difficult to clean effectively, making them ideal environments for bacteria and leading to further bone, tissue, and tooth loss.
What is scaling and root planing?
Using specialized tools, we remove the buildup of bacteria from your teeth both above and below the gumline. The root surfaces are then smoothed to encourage the gums to reattach to the teeth, reducing pockets and eliminating hard-to-clean areas where bacteria thrive.
What is the difference between Scaling and Root Planing
and
Periodontal Management Therapy?
The main difference lies in their purpose.
Scaling and root planing is a specialized non-surgical procedure used as an initial step in treating periodontal disease.
Periodontal management therapy is a prescribed soft tissue management program designed to maintain the stable condition of your dental health after receiving specialized periodontal surgical or non-surgical treatment, such as scaling and root planing.
