Root scaling and planing is a technique used by professional dental hygienists to remove built-up layers of plaque from your tooth and expose the roots. Scaling and planning helps reduce the risk of decay in your teeth, which can lead to serious problems if left untreated. Root scaling and planing is also known as root planing or root debridement, and it’s different from regular scaling. While regular scaling removes only surface stain, root scaling goes deeper into the grooves of your tooth to clear out any dirt or bacteria hiding there. Root planing is often done as part of a complete prophylaxis treatment that may also include fluoride application or a quick bleach treatment. You can also have root planing done as a patchwork treatment between standard cleanings.
What is the Purpose of Root Scaling and Planing?
Root scaling and planing is a dental procedure that removes plaque, bacteria, and other substances from the teeth’s root surface. This helps prevent tooth decay. Although the process of tooth decay is not fully understood, it is known that the bacteria in plaque builds up on the surface of your teeth, which can lead to cavities or gum disease. The buildup of plaque and tartar on your teeth’s roots causes an acidic environment which can lead to tooth decay. Root scaling and planing removes this buildup on your teeth’s root surface by helping break down these harmful deposits.
How is Root Scaling and Planing Performed?
The procedure is performed by a dental hygienist who uses special instruments to scrape and clean the tooth’s surface, the dentin, and the pulp. The dental hygienist may also use an ultrasonic scaler or hand instruments for this purpose. Root scaling and planing can be painful, so it’s important that you speak to your dentist about any pain you feel during the procedure.
Benefits of Root Scaling and Planing
Root scaling and planing is a key part of dental hygiene. It’s the process of removing plaque from your tooth and exposing the roots. The goal is to make sure that any bacteria or food particles that cause decay are removed.
There are two types of root planing:
1) When it’s done as part of a complete prophylaxis treatment or as a patchwork treatment between standard cleanings, it removes only surface plaque and stains.
2) When it’s done as a more in-depth root scaling procedure, the hygienist can remove built-up layers of plaque from your tooth, which reduces the risk of decay in your teeth. No matter what type you have done, root scaling and planing has many benefits.
As we mentioned before, it reduces the risk of tooth decay by cleaning out dirt and bacteria that can’t be reached by regular scaling methods alone. It also helps prevent gum disease because less plaque will collect in the spaces between your teeth. If you don’t clean out these spaces for too long, they’ll become host to anaerobic bacteria–which can lead to infections or abscesses. Root scaling removes these spaces so they’re not able to accumulate bacteria in them.
Disadvantages of Root Scaling and Planing
One disadvantage to root scaling and planing is that it typically requires anesthesia. This can be an inconvenience and put some people off of the treatment. However, root scaling without anesthesia can have a number of negative effects, including damage to the tooth structure, nerve tissue, or pulp. Another downside to this procedure is that it’s not cheap. Root scaling and planing can cost between $300-1,000 per tooth on average. Some insurance companies will cover this cost if your dentist says you need the procedure for dental health reasons.
Should You Have Root Scaling and Planing Done?
If you’re showing signs of early-stage decay, like a little chip in your tooth or a small stain on the surface of your tooth, root planing may be able to help. Root scaling and planing is often used as an alternative to fillings or as a way to stop more serious decay from developing. Root scaling and planing is sometimes recommended when teeth have deep groves and crevices that are hard for dentists to clean thoroughly during regular teeth cleaning appointments. The only problem with root scaling and planing is that it can sometimes leave you feeling sore afterward.
That’s because this type of procedure can irritate sensitive nerve endings in your gums or mouth. And while the discomfort is usually manageable, it’s not uncommon for people to want some pain relief after getting their teeth scaled and planned. If you know you’re sensitive, make sure you bring something strong to help ease any discomfort before the appointment – like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Conclusion
Root scaling and planing is a dental procedure that is used to remove plaque, calculus, and stains from the root surfaces of teeth. It can be done to both baby teeth and permanent teeth. The procedure is performed by a dentist or dental hygienist. It involves the use of a tool called a scaler or an explorer. This tool is inserted in between the gums and teeth to remove plaque, calculus, and stains. The procedure is typically done on two or three teeth at a time. There are many benefits to having root scaling and planing done but there are also some disadvantages. It is important to speak with your dentist to see if you should have this procedure done. If you don’t have one yet, you can visit this dentist who does crowns, bridges, and high-quality teeth whitening in Redwood City.
References:
1-The role of dental hygienists in oral health prevention.
Published 01 Jan 2004, By Ohrn K
https://europepmc.org/article/med/15646586
2-Tooth Decay Is the Most Prevalent Disease
Published By Christine Heng on 2016 Oct
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6373711/
3-Dentin and dental pulp regeneration by the patient’s endogenous cells
First published: 23 June 2013 By Sahng G. Kim
https://doi.org/10.1111/etp.12037
4-The effect of scaling and root planing on the clinical and microbiological parameters of periodontal diseases: 12-month results
First published: 24 December 2001 By M. A. Cugini
https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-051x.2000.027001030.x
