Different Types of Dental Cleanings
You visit your dentist twice a year for a teeth cleaning to help keep your teeth healthy and to check that there are no serious oral health issues have developed in your mouth.
But did you know there are different types of cleanings your dentist can use depending on your needs?
By understanding the different types of dental cleaning procedures, you can understand the vocabulary your dentist is using and what it takes to keep your mouth healthy and your smile bright.
Prophylaxis Cleaning
A routine cleaning mainly used on patients with an overall healthy mouth and who practice good oral hygiene, a prophylaxis cleaning is intended to remove a certain amount of plaque and tartar from the surface of your teeth, in between teeth and on gums. It will also eliminate surface stains on your teeth.
You will likely receive this cleaning during your regularly scheduled dental appointments.
Gross Debridement
If you haven’t seen a dentist in years, you probably have a fair amount of plaque buildup on and between your teeth, and on your gums. Also known as a deep cleaning, a gross debridement removes plaque and tartar throughout your mouth.
Your dentist will examine your mouth to find out if you need a gross debridement cleaning. If required, a gross debridement is completed before a routine prophylaxis.
Scaling and Root Planing
We often recommend this more invasive, non-surgical teeth cleaning procedure for patients suffering from gum diseases such as gingivitis or periodontitis.
Your dentist will deep clean your gums, gum line and other structures supporting your teeth. The procedure can take multiple dental appointments to complete, as we smooth out the surface of your tooth root as well as eliminate any plaque and tartar buildup.
Periodontal Maintenance
Patients who experience routine oral health issues such as gingivitis or periodontitis need periodontal maintenance to keep these diseases in check.
These patients typically need to visit us frequently over a specified time period or until all oral health issues are taken care of so we can clean their entire mouth.