Professional
dental cleaning:
During a typical checkup your dentist or dental hygienist will remove the plaque and tartar (plaque that builds up and hardens on the tooth surface and can only be removed with professional cleaning) from above and below the gum line of all your teeth. If you have some signs of gum disease, your dentist may recommend more than twice-a-year cleanings.
Scaling and root planing:
This is a deep-cleaning, nonsurgical procedure, done under a local anesthetic, whereby plaque and tartar from above and below the gum line are scraped away (scaling) and rough spots on the tooth root are made smooth (planing). Smoothing the rough spots removes bacteria and provides a clean surface for the gums to reattach to the teeth. Scaling and root planing is done if your dentist or periodontist determines that you have plaque and calculus (hardened plaque, also called tartar) under the gums that needs to be removed.
Antibiotic Treatment:
Some localized, topical antibiotics can enhance your periodontal treatment. In certain isolated circumstances, placement of antibiotic medicine can also reduce infection. This antibiotic therapy is always done in conjunction with scaling and deep cleanings. This procedure is more often used for patients that have had previous periodontal repair therapy.
Procedure: Topical antibiotics, in various forms, are precisely placed in isolated areas to improve healing after the localized area is scaled and deep cleaned. Afterwards the results are closely monitored during follow-up maintenance visits.
Oral Cancer Screening:
An oral cancer screening exam is a routine part of a comprehensive dental examination. More specifically, your periodontist will feel for any lumps or irregular tissue changes in your neck, head, face and oral cavity. When examining your mouth, your periodontist will look for sores or discolored tissue, as well as check for or ask you about the signs and symptoms mentioned above.
