How Long Does Deep Teeth Cleaning Take?
A deep cleaning is necessary when you have excessive plaque, tartar, or calculus build-up on the roots of your teeth. This build-up causes inflammation and swelling of the soft tissue around your teeth. This will lead to bleeding and painful gums, bone loss, and even tooth loss.
Deep cleaning, also called root planning and scaling, is a procedure that focuses on the removal of plaque and tartar from below your gun line and on the surface of the roots.
How Does your Dentist Decide if You Need a Deep Teeth Cleaning?
Your dentist will use multiple steps and measures to determine if you need a deep cleaning. This includes the initial clinical exam, periodontal probing, a measurement of the gap around each tooth, and digital x-rays to look at the teeth below the surface.
* Clinical Exam- Your dentist will be looking closely for any swelling and bleeding of the gums around your teeth. Another indicator your dentist will look for is if the teeth are at all loose. Teeth that can be moved with simple light finger pressures suggests bone loss.
* Periodontal Probing- There is a pocket or gap around each tooth that is measured with a small handheld tool called a perio probe. You want to have a pocket depth of 3 millimeters or less. A larger gap is a strong indicator of gum disease.
* X-rays- Your dentist can look at the jawbone density and the shape near the root of each tooth. With digital x-rays, they will identify bone loss and damage, and based on depth and bone loss, will decide if a deep cleaning is needed.
If your dentist determines that a deep cleaning is indeed necessary, then a regular cleaning will not be enough to return you to proper oral health.
How Long Does a Deep Cleaning Take?
When there is a bacterial infection buildup in diseased gum tissue, a deep cleaning is mandatory to treat and remove the gum disease. If a regular cleaning is performed, there would be bacteria left on the teeth below the gumline, which is the source of the harm to the gums.
The amount of time your deep cleaning will take depends on several variables.
* Whether it is part of your mouth or your entire mouth.
* How severe the damage is from the buildup of plaque and tartar.
* Your own anxiety level through the treatment.
* Any other medical conditions you might have impacting the procedure.
You might have only a few teeth or one area of your mouth that will need a deep cleaning. Usually, for a full-mouth deep cleaning, only half of the mouth is done per appointment, therefore requiring two appointments.
For a half-mouth deep cleaning, your appointment time will run around 90 minutes. This allows time for post-treatment x-rays and to review your after-care instructions.
The average time for a simple, partial deep cleaning visit is approximately 45 minutes.
What Benefits will You Experience After a Deep Cleaning?
Immediately after your deep cleaning you may have some discomfort and aching. After your mouth has healed you should notice the following improvements:
* Decreased or no bleeding when brushing and flossing.
* Better smelling breath.
* Healthy looking gums that are puffy or irritated.
* Less or no oral discomfort or pain.
* Teeth that were loose feeling secure again.
* Decreased tooth sensitivity.