Cleaning and Periodontal Therapy
Dental prophylaxis (cleaning) is the removal of plaque, bacteria, calculus, and extrinsic stains by a dental hygienist. This “regular” cleaning is not sub-gingival. This means will not go under your gums to clean out any build-up – which for the average, the healthy patient is not necessary. In our office, we’ll combine your regular cleanings (usually recommended every 6 months) with oral examinations by the dentist and updates on x-rays as needed. We also check the health of your gums and surrounding tissues at these visits, which take approximately one hour.
Sometimes regular prophylaxis just isn’t enough. A number of factors, such as oral hygiene practices at home, systemic diseases, genetics, and pregnancy, can cause periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is, simply, an infection of the gums due to the continued presence of harmful bacteria in the mouth. It can range from mild gingivitis, where the gums are inflamed due to the bacteria but no permanent damage has been done, to severe periodontitis, where you’ve likely already had significant loss of gum attachment, bone loss, and tooth loss from the present active infection.
WHAT IS DEEP CLEANING?
Deep cleaning or periodontal therapy is a procedure required in the presence of periodontal disease. It removes plaque and tartar from your teeth and slightly below your gum line, using hand instruments and ultrasonic scalers.
WHAT DOES DEEP CLEANING TEETH INVOLVE?
Deep cleaning is different from routine teeth cleaning because it also removes the buildup from underneath your gum that could otherwise lead to gum disease. The procedure is typically completed in two sessions – the right side and left side of the mouth. Each side takes about 60 minutes.
After these sessions, we need to keep seeing you regularly to avoid a recurrence of periodontal infection. Usually, periodontal maintenance visits are every 3 to 4 months; however, our hygienist and dentist will determine what is best for each patient.
Visit Us
Kiss Dental, Chicago Offers Deep Cleaning Services
If you are looking to get deep cleaning in the Chicago area, you can count on Kiss Dental. We will make it feel as comfortable as possible and provide you with useful advice on aftercare.