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| Maintaining the supporting tissues around your teeth is at the heart of what we do. Our goals are to prevent gum disease from occurring, and to stabilize it where it has already begun. Also, we provide specific instruction so that you have the means of maintaining your oral health at home. For many of our patients we recommend a cleaning at least twice a year. This frequency may vary to three or four times a year, however, based upon a patient’s needs. |
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At a typical cleaning appointment you can expect the hygienist to scale and polish your teeth, removing the harmful debris that causes inflammation. This is followed by an examination from Dr. Ritter. X-rays may also be taken at your cleaning appointments. Our hygienists also perform deep cleanings, otherwise known as scaling and root planing. This procedure is recommended when gum disease has reached a moderate stage and the attachment around your teeth (the bone and the ligaments) is beginning to deteriorate. While you are numb the hygienist cleans below the gum line, removing harmful bacteria and debris that cannot be reached during a routine cleaning, smoothing the root surfaces of the teeth as she goes.
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Between a deep cleaning, a subsequent maintenance schedule of cleanings every three months and good home care, the hope is to stabilize the tissue and reduce, if not eliminate, the inflammation.
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