Scaling & Root Planing

Home › Dental Services › Periodontics › Scaling & Root Planing

Scaling & Root Planing − Lake Orion & Washington MI

In periodontal disease, swollen unhealthy gums start to pull away from the teeth because of pockets where infection-causing plaque & tartar accumulate. During a scaling part of the treatment, the dentist or hygienist removes plaque, tartar & bacteria from the surfaces of your teeth & tooth roots. This is done with either hand tools or electronic instruments, or a combination of both.

If you have gum disease, your dentist may recommend that scaling & root planing, along with periodontal maintenance checkups, become part of your routine dental visits, just like your cleanings & exams.

While scaling & root planing cannot cure periodontal disease, it can slow or stop its progression. The point of this procedure is to remove the bacteria-filled plaque & tartar that inflame your gums & the surrounding bone. Scaling & root planing can reduce the need for surgical intervention in the future & often helps swollen bleeding gums become healthy & pink again.

What Is Scaling & Root Planing?

Scaling & root planing is the gold standard of treatment for patients diagnosed with gum disease (i.e. periodontitis). This procedure is sometimes referred to as “deep cleaning” or simply “periodontal therapy”. If you have periodontitis that is at risk of getting worse, the dentist may recommend scaling & root planing to keep your gum disease from advancing. However, you should know that this is not a procedure that you can just undergo once then forget about it. We may recommend that you continue to come in for scaling & root planing as necessary to keep your mouth as healthy as possible despite your condition.

Procedure Overview

The handheld instruments used are a scaler & a curette. Both of these tools look a little like a metal chopstick with a sharp, curved tip. You’ve seen them before if you’ve had a regular dental cleaning. By gently scraping the tool along your tooth below the gum line, the dentist can find areas of tartar & plaque buildup.
Electronic scalers use ultrasonic vibration to remove plaque & tartar. The vibrating metal tip of the tool can chip away tartar & an accompanying water spray washes away the debris as it’s removed. This water spray also keeps the tip of the tool nice & cool.
In the root planing part of the treatment, the dentist or hygienist smoothes the surface of the tooth root to make it harder for bacteria to stick in the future & easier for the gums to re-attach. This is done with the same tools mentioned above but with a focus on making rough spots smooth again. Once the root planing is finished, the dentist may apply a disinfectant or antibiotics to further discourage the return of bacteria.
If you’ve ever been poked in the gums by accident, you know how sensitive they can be, especially if they’re already swollen from periodontitis. Before starting the scaling & root planing treatment we will numb your gums so that you won’t have any pain or discomfort while we’re working. Typically, only one or two quadrants of a patient’s mouth are treated at a time. That way we only need to numb one side of the mouth, so you’ll still be able to eat & drink fairly normally following your appointment as the anesthesia starts to fade.

Meet Your
Award-Winning Doctors

Dr. Jacob Witer

Dr. Joseph Verrelli

Read Our Reviews

The Proof is in Our Patients

“I recently moved to the area and had not been to the dentist in over 4 years. I was obviously nervous but the team at Orion Lakes Family Dentistry did everything they could to make me calm and help me. They didn't judge when I told them how long it had been and they helped me get the care I needed. So far I had a root canal, after my initial exam, and it was painless and fast! I would recommend Orion Lakes Family Dentistry to anyone looking for a new dentist!”

- Chris H.

“Going to the dentist always makes me feel a little anxious and my last visit was not great. That wasn’t the case here. Both Ms. Debbie and Dr. Harris made me feel relaxed and provided me with more ...”

- Joel M.

“After years of neglecting going to the dentist they made me feel really comfortable. The staff is absolutely amazing. You’re instantly welcomed when you come in. The dentists are informative, friendly ...”

- Chuck J

“If I could give this office more stars I would! From the moment I walked in the door I felt like family. Greeted by everyone with a warm smile and kind words. Very efficient staff got me back before my appointment time. Lisa did my cleaning and was absolutely fantastic! Thorough, knowledgeable, kind, caring and quick. Being my first time there, it far exceeded my expectations. Dr. Witer was wonderful and he has organized an amazing support staff! Highly recommend this office.”

- Joie M.

“Best dentist and staff around! My husband and I started going here when we moved out this way and couldn't be happier. Dr. Witer has an awesome personality and is always asking how the family is doing. He remembers my husband's name and my kids name. We eventually switched my daughter over to him as well because she wasn't a big fan of her other dentist which was actually for kids with tvs on the ceiling to watch cartoons and all that, though I knew when she met Dr. Witer she would love him because of his personality and she did. She is very picky when it comes to doctors, teachers and etc so it's always nice finding a person she loves seeing.”

Scaling & Root Planing