Scaling and Root Planing Chicago, IL
Here at Medhat Dental Excellence in Chicago, IL we want all of our patients to have a smile that will last them a lifetime. We also understand that life happens fast, and occasionally things like dental hygiene end up being ignored or forgotten. When your oral hygiene slips, you can count on us to help you get it back to a state where your oral health is stable and manageable. Periodontal disease can lead to a bevy of oral health issues, and f it's allowed to progress into the late stages, can be irreversible. While we are not able to cure advanced periodontal disease, we can treat it and help to make it a manageable condition that won't constantly threaten your oral health.
What is gum disease?
There are two stages of periodontal disease, and “gum disease” describes the early stages. Gum disease occurs because of the same bacteria that causes cavities in teeth: bacterial buildup that is left on teeth. When you forget to brush and floss, the food particles that are left over from your meals are allowed to linger, providing a great source of food for the bacteria that naturally live in your mouth. Eventually, with enough neglect, these bacteria will creep below the gumline. Moreover, infect the gums in the same way your teeth are infected by a cavity.
Gum disease often leads to the following symptoms:
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Red or swollen gums
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Gums that bleed easily
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Constant bad breath
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Loose teeth
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Tender gums
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Sensitivity to heat or cold in your teeth |
If you notice any of these symptoms, please call us at (773) 774-4611 to schedule an appointment. If you catch gum disease in it's early stages you can reverse it and avoid having periodontal disease for the rest of your life.
Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease occurs when the gums have been significantly separated from the surfaces of the teeth, which creates pockets that can trap food and bacteria between the teeth and gums. Once the gums have significantly separated from the surface of the teeth, there is no way to get them back to completely flush with the surfaces of the teeth, which is why periodontal disease is not reversible. Periodontal disease can lead to tooth loss and even bone loss in the jaw.
Scaling and Root Planing Procedure
We know that you don't want to lose your teeth to periodontal disease, but there is no way for you to clean out the periodontal pockets that form between your teeth and gums. Fortunately, we have a solution; scaling and root planing. The first step of the procedure is ensuring your comfort throughout the procedure. We will give you a local anesthetic to ensure you don't feel a thing.
We will scale the roots of your teeth using a special tool called an ultrasonic scaler, which uses ultrasonic vibrations to break apart build-on plaque and tartar and a stream of water to help wash it away. Once all of the plaque and tartar has been removed from below the gum line, we will go back over all of the surfaces of your roots to make sure that they are smooth. Smoothing out the surface of your roots ensures that your gums aren't further inflamed by a rough surface. This allows your gums to heal much faster and hopefully close the periodontal pockets substantially. |