What Is Scaling and Root Planing?
Our team at Made Ya Smile Dental is pleased to help our patients achieve and enjoy periodontal health for a comfortable and beautiful smile. To treat the periodontitis stage of gum disease, we offer scaling and root planing (SRP) as a nonsurgical therapeutic approach to arresting the disease process. Periodontitis is the result of bacterial toxins that lead to bone loss in the jaw — the very structure responsible for holding your teeth in place and enabling proper function. Bacteria live and thrive in plaque and tartar deposits that accumulate below the surface of the gums. By performing SRP, sometimes known as "root scraping", our team can use special instruments below the gumline and remove these deposits that harbor harmful organisms. This procedure smooths root surfaces and encourages gum healing to minimize the spaces between the teeth and gums (periodontal pockets). Any signs or symptoms in the gums, such as bleeding, inflammation, and gum recession, could mean that gum disease is affecting your health and could be increasing your risk of tooth loss and other harmful outcomes. A consultation with our dentists can help you learn if periodontitis is present in your mouth and whether periodontal scaling and root planing therapy near you from our Sugar Land, TX team is ideal for your treatment needs.
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What Are the Benefits of Scaling and Root Planing?
Scaling and root planing is a crucial dental treatment that not only fights periodontal disease, but also supports overall dental health. This treatment boasts several advantages to men and women in Sugar Land, TX including:
- Reduces buildup and improves the appearance of the teeth
- Can help lessen tooth sensitivity to hot and cold foods and drinks
- May fight bad breath brought on by periodontitis
- Helps prevent tooth loss and bone deterioration
- Lessens the possibility of periodontitis progression
- Directly combats gum infection by taking off stuck-on plaque and tartar
- Aids in preventing gum disease-related issues, such as heart disease and diabetes
When Is Scaling and Root Planing Needed?
Gum disease causes destruction of the gums and bone that surround the teeth and can lead to tooth loss if not treated with professional care. To learn about your periodontal health, we will take high-definition digital x-rays and measure the spaces between your gums and teeth. X-rays will show our dentists if gum disease caused loss of bone in your jaw, while the periodontal measurements let us know if these spaces, or pockets, are deeper than 3mm. These factors together may indicate the presence of the periodontitis stage of gum disease in your mouth along with symptoms like bleeding, inflammation, tenderness, and recession of the gums. Bad breath may also indicate the presence of harmful or disease-causing bacteria. To treat periodontitis and bring wellness back to your smile, our dentists may recommend scaling and root planing or surgical procedures if the condition is in the advanced stage.
What Can I Expect With Scaling and Root Planing?
Scaling and root planing may be performed within 1 – 4 visits based on where in your mouth active periodontal infection is occurring. To keep you comfortable throughout your treatment, we will numb your gum tissues with a local anesthetic and can provide sedation services if you feel anxious or fearful when visiting the dentist. Rest assured, our team always puts your safety and comfort first, regardless of the type of care you are receiving. When you feel comfortable, and your gums are numb, our team will remove plaque and tartar from your tooth surfaces underneath the gums. Your pockets (space between teeth) will be flushed to remove loose debris, and antibiotics may be placed within these pockets to control bacterial growth. Seeking scaling and root planing care for your periodontitis early on can help you better manage your gum health and protect your smile from tooth loss and other dental concerns.
Recovery After Scaling and Root Planing Therapy
After your procedure is complete, our team will provide you with scaling and root planing at-home care instructions on how to manage any post-op discomfort and care for your teeth and gums moving forward. You may notice a sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures and gum tenderness for the first couple of days following your care. SRP is performed to eliminate plaque and tartar from root surfaces so that your infected gums can heal and attach once again to your teeth. This healing process also reduces the depths of your periodontal pockets to reduce the areas in which destructive bacteria can damage your oral health. Brushing and flossing meticulously every day to keep your teeth and gums as clean as possible is the key to maintaining periodontal health and preventing active infections from occurring. We will demonstrate the best technique for you to use at home and are always available to answer any questions and provide support. To keep your gums, teeth, and bones healthy following treatment for gum disease, our dentists may recommend keeping up with periodontal maintenance and cleaning visits every 3 – 4 months.
Is Scaling and Root Planing Covered by Insurance?
Most dental insurance plans offer some coverage toward scaling and root planing periodontal treatment for gum disease. To learn more about your specific benefits, our business staff will contact your provider and inform you of any personal costs for your gum disease care. Made Ya Smile Dental offers several easy payment options, including low-cost financing with CareCredit®, to make dental care as affordable as possible. We are also happy to work with you and help you find a solution that fits comfortably within your budget.
Scaling and Root Planing FAQs
Is this procedure painful?
Our patients often ask us at our Sugar Land, TX office what to expect regarding pain following SRP. There might be some mild discomfort, but all of our patients receive a local anesthetic prior to their treatment. This prevents you from any pain or sensitivity which may otherwise occur during the procedure.
What can I eat after scaling and root planing?
You might find that your gums are irritated and affected, even though this procedure works to deep clean the teeth. This irritation in your gums should go away relatively quickly after your procedure. However, here at Made Ya Smile in Sugar Land, TX, we advise that our patients stick to bland and softer-textured foods after their SRP treatment.
What should I not do after scaling and root planing?
The biggest food categories to avoid after your SRP treatment are anything sticky, spicy, or acidic. In addition, you may want to eat only liquid or cold foods immediately following your procedure. We also recommend avoiding rinsing your mouth out within the first 24-hour period after your SRP procedure, as these combinations of activities may lead to extra irritation or bleeding in your treatment areas.
Nonsurgical Gum Disease Treatment
Periodontitis is not a condition that can be cured — but our experienced team is ready to treat your gum disease and help you enjoy long-term oral health. Getting the treatment you need early on is key to protecting the future of your smile from bone damage and tooth loss, among other concerning dental problems. Our Made Ya Smile dentists and team are pleased to offer nonsurgical scaling and root planing therapy near Sugar Land, TX, to treat periodontitis. If you have bleeding gums, gum inflammation, or bad breath that does not go away, contact our practice today and treat the source of these symptoms with effective, personalized care.