HEALTHY TEETH WITH PREVENTIVE CARE
Preventive dental care includes actions taken by a patient to prevent against oral diseases and maintain a healthy smile for a lifetime. These actions include daily brushing with a fluoride-containing toothpaste, flossing, and maintaining a healthy diet – along with scheduling regular oral exams and professional cleanings.
WHAT IS PREVENTIVE DENTAL CARE?
The idea of a hygiene treatment is to disrupt bacterial plaque biofilms which attach themselves to the surfaces of your teeth and any exposed tooth roots every day. Most plaque biofilm is removed through daily brushing and flossing, but if you miss certain areas of your teeth which is almost inevitable, then the plaque biofilm hardens into calculus or tartar. Calculus is a calcified bacterial product that is extremely hard which is why it must be removed by a qualified dental hygienist or by a dentist.
Traditionally a hygienist will clean teeth manually, using a special instrument to hand-scale or gently scrape your teeth. However, we want to ensure our patients receive the very best dental care using the most advanced technologies which is why we prefer an ultrasonic scaler in combination with hand instruments when needed..
Why Use An Ultrasonic Scaler?
Ultra Sonic Scaler
Our dental hygienist utilizes an ultrasonic scaler to perform thorough and gentle calculus removal, crucial for maintaining the health of your teeth and tooth roots. During hygiene treatments, we aim to leave your tooth surfaces smooth, making it difficult for plaque biofilms to reattach.
The ultrasonic scaler employs ultrasound to effectively remove calculus deposits, employing high vibrational energy to blast away calculus, making it easier to remove. Additionally, it generates shock waves that disrupt bacteria biofilms, aiding in the flushing of plaque bacteria and calculus through a gentle jet of water near the scaler's tip. This water jet serves to cool the scaler's tip and creates tiny bubbles that rupture bacteria, fostering an oxygen-rich environment less favorable to harmful bacteria.
Originally used for visible tooth surfaces, ultrasonic scalers are now capable of sub-gingival use, reaching below the gum line to clean tooth roots without causing damage. Given that tooth roots are covered in softer cementum rather than the harder enamel found on the crowns of teeth, it is essential to gently remove any calculus from these areas. This feature makes ultrasonic scalers particularly beneficial for patients with signs of gum disease, ensuring comprehensive care for improved oral health.
Scaling Rooting and Planing
Scaling and root planing is a specialized deep cleaning procedure designed to treat gum disease effectively. This thorough cleaning consists of two crucial components. During scaling, our skilled hygienist meticulously removes all plaque and tartar (hardened plaque) from both above and below the gumline, ensuring a thorough clean down to the bottom of the periodontal pocket. Subsequently, root planing begins, whereby the surfaces of your teeth roots are smoothed to facilitate the reattachment of your gums to the teeth.
Given the comprehensive nature of this treatment, scaling and root planing may require multiple visits to complete. Additionally, to ensure your comfort throughout the procedure, a local anesthetic might be administered. Our commitment to your oral health and the effectiveness of this treatment makes scaling and root planing an essential part of our gum disease management approach.