Deep Dental Cleaning

While basic dental cleanings and exams are great for most, sometimes, it’s simply not thorough enough. For those who need bacteria and infected tissue removed around the gums, deep dental cleaning (SRP) is the general dentistry answer.

At Local Dental our dentists and hygienists perform deep dental cleaning for those who want to know how to get rid of bad breath, seek periodontal disease treatment, or need to restore their gum health.

What is deep dental cleaning (SRP)?

Medically known as scaling and root planing (SRP), deep dental cleaning is a unique technique designed to eradicate bacteria, plaque, and tartar below the gum line. This type of periodontal cleaning helps prevent the advancement of periodontal disease and halitosis.

Is deep dental cleaning (SRP) necessary?

Scaling and root planing is not necessary for every patient. Generally, dentists recommend a deep dental cleaning for one of two reasons:

Halitosis Treatment

Do you experience a consistently bad taste or smell in your mouth that seems like it won’t go away? Halitosis is the medical term for “bad breath.”
As oral health professionals, our team identifies the causes of bad breath and finds effective treatment solutions.
Scaling and root planing is one of the bad breath remedies that our San Antonio family dentists might suggest—especially if one of the patient’s bad breath causes bacterial overgrowth

Dental Cleaning

Periodontal disease (or gum disease) impacts almost half of the population 30 and older, and susceptibility increases with age.
While gingivitis symptoms might start as light bleeding or mild discomfort, this gum infection can progress into more severe gum disease symptoms, including eventual tooth loss.
When caught in time, SRP can reverse gingivitis. However, if gingivitis is ignored and evolves into a more severe type of gum disease, SRP is used to manage periodontal disease.

Treatment Expectations

For new patients, we strongly suggest filling out new patient forms and insurance information for a more efficient first visit.
How long does SRP take? Scaling and root planing should take no longer than two hours, but the dentist might break up your treatment into multiple sessions if your gum disease symptoms are severe and widespread.
Furthermore, we’ve outlined what to expect before, during, and after each scaling and root planing session:

Treatment Expectations

For new patients, we strongly suggest filling out new patient forms and submitting insurance information for a more efficient first visit.

How long does a teeth cleaning take? Paired with a standard dental check-up, patients typically anticipate basic dental cleanings and exams to last between 30 and 60 minutes. We’ve outlined what to expect before, during, and after each check-up and cleaning appointment:

Before

Like a prophylaxis exam and cleaning, your dental team member chats about your health history, measures gum pockets, and potentially x-rays your smile before starting SRP. If SRP is the best treatment, your dentist provides a local anesthetic to numb the gums.

During

First, one of our Local Dental team members uses a manual scaler and ultrasonic tool to effectively remove plaque from the teeth, tooth roots, and along the gum line. Then, they will use a root planing tool to smooth away coarseness on the tooth roots, where gum-disease bacteria reside and hide. After scaling and root planing, we sometimes apply time-released antibiotics to manage bacterial regrowth and inflammation.

After

After scaling and root planing, the dentist will provide special instructions to help manage discomfort, sensitivity, and recovery.

Team Up with Our Top-Notch Team for Dental Deep Cleaning (SRP)

Are you mortified by halitosis and still wondering how to fix bad breath? Are you suffering from painful swollen gums, bleeding gums when brushing, or other tell-tale signs of gum disease? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, Drs. Joung and Minkyung Lee can help you manage harmful oral bacteria overgrowth that causes bad breath, gingivitis, and periodontal disease.

Regain control of your oral health and take advantage of our online booking or conveniently call (210) 686-1486. The San Antonio community can trust the Local Dental team to keep individuals and families healthy, happy, and feeling at home.