When gum disease takes hold, a regular cleaning is no longer enough. Scaling and root planing is a deep cleaning that reaches below the gum line to remove the bacteria a toothbrush and routine cleaning cannot touch. At Western Piedmont Dental, serving Connelly Springs and Rutherford College, NC, it is comfortable, effective, and the key to stopping gum disease.
When gum disease progresses, bacteria and hardened tartar build up in the pockets that form between the teeth and gums, well below where a toothbrush or a standard cleaning can reach. Left there, they keep destroying the bone that holds your teeth in place.
Scaling and root planing is the non-surgical treatment that addresses this. We clean deep into those pockets and smooth the root surfaces so the gums can heal and reattach. For early to moderate gum disease, it is the single most effective step to halt the damage and save the teeth.
This is a careful, thorough treatment carried out under local anesthesia at our Connelly Springs office, an easy drive from Rutherford College and Valdese, followed by a healing check and a maintenance plan.
Because we work below the gum line, the treatment is done under local anesthesia, so you feel pressure but not pain. Most patients tell us afterward that it was far more manageable than they had feared.
A gentle, thorough technique under anesthesia, with careful follow-up to confirm your gums are healing.
We perform scaling and root planing under local anesthesia and work at a careful pace, so you feel pressure but not pain throughout.
We clean deep into every pocket and smooth the root surfaces so your gums can heal and reattach, halting the disease where it lives.
Dr. Sam, recipient of the Russell W. Bunting Award, brings precise technique to deep cleaning, giving your gums the best chance to recover.
We re-evaluate your healing after treatment and set you up on the right maintenance schedule, because consistent follow-up is what keeps gum disease from returning.
Most dental insurance plans cover scaling and root planing as a non-surgical periodontal benefit, typically at 50 to 80 percent after deductible. Our front desk verifies your coverage and provides a clear estimate before treatment. Flexible payment options are available for patients without insurance.
The treatment is methodical and comfortable. Here is how it goes.
We measure the pockets around your teeth and review X-rays to map exactly where treatment is needed.
The area is fully numbed so you stay comfortable while we work below the gum line. You feel pressure, not pain.
We remove bacteria and hardened tartar from deep within the pockets using specialized instruments.
We smooth the root surfaces so contaminated material is removed and the gum tissue can reattach cleanly.
Four to six weeks later we re-measure the pockets to confirm your gums are healing and plan your maintenance.
In the few days after treatment, some soreness, tenderness, and temperature sensitivity is normal. Over-the-counter pain relief and soft foods for a day or two handle it easily. As the inflammation settles, your gums shrink back to a healthier, firmer state.
The treatment itself is only half the job. Bacteria repopulate the cleaned pockets within about three months, so we move you onto a periodontal maintenance schedule of cleanings every three to four months rather than the usual six. This is what keeps the disease from coming back.
Patients who keep up with maintenance have dramatically better long-term results. Those who drift back to twice-a-year cleanings often see the pockets deepen and the disease return within a year. Consistency is what protects the investment you have made in your gums.
Some soreness for a few days, easily managed.
Cleanings every 3 to 4 months keep bacteria in check.
Sticking to the schedule prevents the disease returning.
Our office at 560 Malcolm Blvd, Connelly Springs, NC 28612 provides deep cleaning treatment for patients throughout Burke County including Connelly Springs, Rutherford College, Valdese, Drexel, Morganton, Glen Alpine, and Hildebran. Call us to book an evaluation.
Have a question we haven't covered? We're happy to help.
Call us at (828) 874-3678 and our friendly front desk will walk you through it.
(828) 874-3678A regular cleaning maintains healthy gums above and just below the gum line. Scaling and root planing is a treatment for active gum disease that reaches much deeper into the pockets and smooths the root surfaces, done under local anesthesia.
No. It is performed under local anesthesia, so you feel pressure but not pain. Some soreness for a few days afterward is normal and easily managed.
Most patients are treated over two appointments, cleaning two quadrants at a time. Milder or localized cases can sometimes be completed in a single visit.
Yes. We re-evaluate four to six weeks after treatment, and most patients show noticeably shallower pockets and less bleeding as the gums heal.
Every three to four months instead of the usual six, because bacteria repopulate the pockets within about three months. This maintenance schedule is what keeps the disease from returning.
Most dental plans cover scaling and root planing as a non-surgical periodontal benefit, usually at 50 to 80 percent after deductible. We verify your coverage before treatment.
Treatments connected to deep cleaning at our Connelly Springs office, serving Rutherford College and Burke County.
Whether you have a dental concern or simply want to ensure optimal oral health, our professional, courteous staff is here to help. We will get back to you within one business day.
