Deep Cleaning (Scaling & Root Planing)
Scaling & Root Planing is available at these locations:
You may know scaling and root planing by its everyday name: a "deep cleaning." It's the most effective non-surgical treatment there is for gum disease. At Aesthetic Dentistry, our doctors use it to clear tartar, bacteria, and toxins from below the gum line, giving your gums room to heal and reattach to your teeth. As the first line of defense against periodontal disease, it can often keep surgery off the table entirely.
What it is
A non-surgical deep cleaning that lifts calculus (tartar), plaque, and bacterial toxins from above and below the gum line, then smooths the tooth roots so the gums can reattach.
Who it's for
Patients diagnosed with gum disease, whether gingivitis or periodontitis, who have inflamed gums, deep pockets, or tartar a regular cleaning simply can't reach.
How we help
A careful read of your pocket depths, gentle yet effective treatment under local anesthesia, and follow-up care that tracks healing and keeps the disease from progressing.
Stopping gum disease starts with a deep cleaning, so schedule your evaluation today.
How the Procedure Works
- Numbing: Local anesthetic keeps you comfortable from start to finish
- Scaling: Special instruments lift calculus (tartar) and plaque from above and below the gum line
- Root planing: The tooth root surfaces are smoothed so bacteria have no rough spots to cling to
- Irrigation: An antimicrobial rinse may go below the gums to bring down the bacterial count
- Antibiotic therapy: our doctors may set antibiotic medication into deep pockets to speed healing
- Depending on severity, the whole thing wraps up in one or two appointments
Benefits of Scaling & Root Planing
- Systemic health: Bacteria from gum disease can slip into the bloodstream, and research ties periodontal disease to heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions
- Reduced inflammation: Clearing bacteria out of deep pockets lets the gums heal and tighten back around the teeth
- Stop bleeding gums: Healthy gums don't bleed, and the treatment goes after the root cause of the bleeding
- Better breath: Persistent bad breath (halitosis) often traces to bacteria in deep pockets, and the treatment clears it out
- Cosmetic improvement: Scaling lifts surface stains along the way, leaving teeth visibly cleaner and brighter
- Prevent tooth loss: Treating gum disease early heads off the bone loss that loosens teeth
After Your Deep Cleaning
- our doctors recommend coming back 4–6 weeks after treatment for a follow-up evaluation
- We re-measure your gum pocket depths to see how the healing is coming along
- If the pockets haven't improved as much as expected, we'll talk through additional treatment options
- Most patients move on to periodontal maintenance appointments every 3–4 months
- Solid home care between visits is essential, so brush twice daily and floss every night
- Skip regular maintenance and gum disease will come back
Gum disease never resolves itself. A deep cleaning stops it before it does permanent damage.
What to Expect at Your Visit
Visit Steps
- Evaluation: our doctors measure the pocket depths around each tooth to gauge how far the disease has gone
- Treatment plan: You get a clear rundown of the findings and the recommended treatment
- Procedure: We numb the area and perform the deep cleaning, and most patients report minimal discomfort
- Post-care: You leave with home-care instructions for the healing period
- Follow-up: A re-evaluation appointment goes on the calendar for 4–6 weeks later
Helpful Tips
- Expect some gum tenderness and sensitivity for a few days after treatment
- Steer clear of hot or spicy foods for the first 24 hours
- Rinse gently with warm salt water to calm the gums
- Keep brushing and flossing, gently but thoroughly
- Keep all your follow-up and maintenance appointments to hold gum disease in check
- Don't smoke, since tobacco sets gum healing back considerably
Frequently Asked Questions
The difference comes down to how far below the gum line each one reaches and why it is being done. A regular cleaning, called a prophylaxis, polishes away plaque and tartar from the surfaces above the gum line. It is preventive care meant for gums that are already healthy, and it is what most people receive at a routine checkup.
A deep cleaning, the everyday name for scaling and root planing, goes beneath the gum line to remove tartar and bacteria from the root surfaces and then smooths those roots so the gums can heal. That makes it a therapeutic treatment rather than a preventive one: it is prescribed when gum disease is already present and a standard cleaning can no longer reach the problem. In short, a regular cleaning keeps healthy gums healthy, while scaling and root planing treats gums that need to recover.
Comfort is built into the procedure. Scaling and root planing is performed under local anesthesia, so the area is fully numb and you should not feel pain while it is happening. Most patients are surprised by how routine it feels once they are settled in the chair, and many tell us afterward it was far more comfortable than they had braced for.
For a few days afterward it is normal for the gums to feel a little sore or for the teeth to be sensitive, particularly to hot and cold, as the tissue heals. That soreness is usually mild and easy to manage with over-the-counter pain relief, gentle salt-water rinses, and steering clear of very hot or spicy foods at first. If anything feels worse than expected, we want to hear from you so we can help.
Most cases of scaling and root planing are completed in one or two appointments, with each visit running about 45–60 minutes. Whether it takes one visit or two depends mainly on how much tartar has built up and how many areas of the mouth are affected by gum disease.
Often the work is split so that one side of the mouth is treated at a time, which keeps each appointment comfortable and lets the numbing be focused where it is needed. At your evaluation, our doctors will map out the best approach for your specific situation, so you know exactly what to expect before the deep cleaning begins.
Scaling and root planing itself is usually a one-time treatment to bring active gum disease under control. What follows is not another deep cleaning, but a different kind of ongoing care. Once the treatment has done its job and your gums have healed, most patients move to periodontal maintenance cleanings every 3–4 months.
These maintenance visits go deeper than a standard cleaning and are specifically designed to keep gum disease from returning, by clearing bacteria out of the pockets before it can take hold again. They are the key to protecting the results of your deep cleaning. Skip them, and the bacteria gradually rebuild and the disease tends to come back, which is why staying on the maintenance schedule matters so much.
Gum disease can be controlled very effectively, but it is more accurate to say it is managed than cured. Once the supporting bone around a tooth has been lost to periodontal disease, it does not fully grow back on its own, so the goal of treatment is to stop the damage rather than undo every bit of it.
That is precisely what scaling and root planing accomplishes. By removing the bacteria and tartar driving the infection, the deep cleaning halts the disease process and gives your gums the chance to heal and tighten back around the teeth. From there, regular maintenance keeps the bacteria from regaining a foothold, so the condition stays stable and under control for the long term. Caught early enough, gingivitis is the one stage that does reverse completely.
Gum disease does not resolve on its own, so leaving it untreated allows it to keep advancing. Without a deep cleaning to interrupt the process, the infection below the gum line continues, and the damage tends to follow a predictable path:
- The pockets between the gums and teeth grow deeper
- More of the supporting bone is lost
- Teeth begin to loosen and shift
- Tooth loss eventually follows
Advanced cases that have been left too long often require surgical treatment to manage, which is more involved and more costly than a non-surgical deep cleaning. Stepping in early with scaling and root planing is by far the simpler, gentler, and more affordable way to protect your teeth, which is why we never recommend waiting it out.
A healthy smile is built on healthy gums. Schedule your deep cleaning evaluation today.