SCALING & ROOT PLANING

Furniss Family Dentistry
Dr. Joshua K. Furniss, D.D.S

Plaque and tartar that sits on the teeth provides an environment which allows bacteria to thrive and multiply. The bacteria cause the gums to become inflamed and bleed. The condition becomes more noticeable when you brush your teeth or even sometimes when you eat. These are signs of the early stage of gingivitis. Gingivitis is easily treated by having our hygienists scale and polish the teeth. If gingivitis is left untreated, the condition will progress and the roots will need to have diseased tissue removed from them by scaling and root planing. Scaling is the removal of the dental tartar (calculus) from the tooth surface Root planing is the process of smoothing the root surfaces and removing the infected tooth structure.

As a non-surgical procedure, scaling and planing is performed with or without local anesthesia in Dr. Furniss’s office. While the procedure is usually painless, advanced stages of gingivitis often make it necessary to numb the area for complete comfort. Deep scaling and root planing are usually broken down into two sections of the mouth per appointment. This allows for adequate healing time and reduces the time for each appointment.