Even people who take scrupulous care of their teeth may have problems that go beyond simple cleaning. For those people, gingivitis can develop and may lead to potential tooth loss and deterioration of the gums. Cleaning will not take care of this problem, unfortunately. For these cases, either scaling or root planing will be needed.
Root Scaling & Root PlaningScaling is a process that is used to remove plaque and tartar build up in the early stages of gingivitis. If the scaling is not done in this early stage, gingivitis will progress and may lead to the need for root planing instead.
Planing is used to smooth the surface of the roots as well as to remove any infected structures of the teeth. Planing is typically more painful than scaling. Depending on the severity of the gingivitis, you may need local anesthesia and some minor pain control. If the areas that are affected are extensive, the process will be done in segments so that the time spent under anesthesia will be minimized. This also allows for better and more effective healing.
Please call Dr. Meena for a consultation if you have red, flamed or bleeding gums - you may have gingivitis!