Dental Cleanings
Missoula, MT
 Dental cleanings are an important regimen for your oral health. The American Dental Association recommends the average person have his or her teeth cleaned by a professional once every six months. This will help prevent dental problems such as periodontitis (also known as gum disease), which can cause severe bone loss and ultimately tooth loss. There are several types of dental cleanings our team at Roth Family Dentistry may recommend depending on your oral health.
Prophylaxis
One of the most common types of dental cleanings is called prophylaxis. This is a routine cleaning that our professionals do to help remove any plaque and tartar - which is hardened plaque - from your teeth as well as detect dental problems. If you have a healthy mouth, this is usually the type of cleaning we recommend.
When you have a prophylaxis cleaning, we will remove any plaque and tartar on the teeth. We may even remove light staining on your teeth caused by everyday eating and drinking. This type of cleaning is usually performed by our dental hygienists.
Periodontal Scaling and Root Planing
After adental exam, it may be determined that you are suffering from the beginning stages of periodontal disease, which is also known as gum disease. To help prevent it from worsening, our team will perform a periodontal scaling and root planing treatment. This is commonly referred to as a deep cleaning and requires no surgery.
Several symptoms may be present to help you know you may be suffering from mild gum disease. These symptoms may include bleeding in your gums after brushing and flossing, having plaque that begins to harden on your teeth, having red and puffy gums, and struggling with bad breath even after your oral hygiene regimen. In more moderate to severe cases, you may also notice your gums receding and teeth becoming loose and even falling out completely.
Periodontal Maintenance Therapy
If your gum disease is more than a mild case, you may require more thorough cleanings than prophylaxis treatments. We may recommend periodontal maintenance therapy instead. In addition, after a periodontal scaling and root planing procedure or gum surgery, our team may recommend periodontal maintenance therapy. This type of cleaning, if suggested, will replace a prophylaxis cleaning indefinitely. Periodontal maintenance procedures help prevent gum disease from progressing by disrupting the growth of any bacteria that can cause periodontitis to progress. You will also have to undergo this cleaning more often than a prophylaxis treatment. Periodontal maintenance is usually performed every three to four months.
Debridement
If you have not had a cleaning in over a year, we may suggest a dental debridement at your first appointment. This is not a regular cleaning. Instead, it is a procedure that allows us to remove any heavy buildup of plaque and tartar from your teeth. This will allow our team of professionals to accurately assess the overall condition of your bone, gums, and teeth.
Our team at will always do a full dental exam before cleaning your teeth. This will allow our professionals to accurately gauge the type of cleaning procedure that will benefit you the most. Give us a call today at 406-728-2745 to schedule an appointment. |
