Dental scaling involves the careful removal of plaque bacteria from the tooth’s surface just below the gumline. There are two basic methods for scaling teeth. If your dentist uses handheld instruments, he or she will scrape plaque from the tooth using a metal tool known as a dental scaler and curette. The dentist will insert this thin tool beneath the gum line to access plaque your toothbrush can’t reach.
Alternately, your dentist may choose an ultrasonic instrument to scale your teeth. This features a vibrating metal tip combined with a cool water spray. The tip chips tartar away as the water flushes out the pocket.
Dental scaling is typically followed by a procedure known as root planing. Root planing reaches deeper to address the surface of the tooth’s root. This is done in the same manner as scaling. Root planing smooths the surface of the root so the gums can reattach properly.
No comments:
Post a Comment