If you have heard the term “deep cleaning,” you may have wondered how it differs from a regular preventative cleaning. Your dentist makes a recommendation on the type of cleaning based on what can be seen and measured during your exam.
What a regular preventative cleaning does
A preventative cleaning, or prophylaxis, is routine maintenance for healthy gums. It works above the gumline to remove plaque, tartar, and surface stains, and to polish the teeth where bacteria tend to settle.
It is the cleaning most patients come in for, and most people do well with one about every six months. It helps keep a healthy mouth healthy and gives your dentist a regular look at your teeth and gums.
What a deep cleaning does
A deep cleaning, or scaling and root planing, treats buildup and bacteria that have settled below the gumline. Tartar that collects where brushing and flossing cannot reach can irritate the gums and pull them away from the teeth.
The deep cleaning treatment aims to clear tartar from the root surfaces and smooth them so the gum tissue can settle back against the tooth, helping to keep active gum issues from advancing.
How the recommendation is made
The recommendation rests on findings from your exam.
Your dentist measures the small space between your gums and each tooth with a thin probe. Healthy spaces sit within a known range, and deeper spaces can point to gum disease. Bleeding during the exam, gum recession, and tartar below the gumline all factor in, and x-rays can show early signs of bone loss.
Healthy measurements point toward a preventative cleaning. Deeper spaces, bleeding, or buildup below the gumline point toward a deep cleaning.
What happens after a deep cleaning
After scaling and root planing, many patients move to a maintenance cleaning every three to four months for a time. This helps keep the gums stable and protects the progress made with deep cleaning. As the gums improve, that cleaning schedule may decrease.
A note on coverage
A preventative cleaning and a deep cleaning are billed differently, and a deep cleaning often falls under a separate part of your coverage. Our office can review what your plan covers before treatment begins, so you know what to expect.
