Regular Dental Cleaning Vs. Surgical Cleaning

If you’ve been noticing issues with your oral health such as bleeding gums, bad breath, or tooth pain it’s time to make an appointment for a professional examination and dental cleaning. When visiting your dentist in Melbourne or the Vero Beach areas for a check-up, your dental professional may advise a surgical cleaning instead of a regular cleaning. There are health-related reasons for this. The two types of cleanings are different and focus on different goals and needs. If you require a surgical cleaning, you should get it done as soon as possible. It is only recommended for situations where you have dental ailments that need to be treated quickly. By understanding how regular and surgical cleanings differ, you can understand why these cleanings are essential to your overall dental health.

What is a Regular Cleaning?

A regular cleaning involves the removal of plaque and tartar above the gum line and is often found in areas of your mouth you can see with a mirror. Regular cleanings can also assist in stain removal and teeth whitening, improving your smile. Regular dental cleanings can be considered a preventative type of treatment as they help protect your mouth from issues such as cavities. However, regular cleanings are not meant to address more involved conditions such as gum infections.

What is a Surgical Cleaning?

A surgical cleaning refers to a specific type of tooth cleaning that is designed to be therapeutic in nature. It is designed to treat existing gum infections and ailments such as periodontal disease. A surgical cleaning focuses on the roots and lower area of the tooth below the gum line and removes build-up, bacteria, and if needed, damaged tissue. A surgical cleaning is more involved than a regular cleaning and requires anesthesia and follow-up visits to ensure your gums are healing as expected and that the bacterial infection has been fully removed.

How Regular and Surgical Cleanings Differ

Despite both types of dental cleanings being useful and necessary, they are focused on different types of cleaning and different goals. Regular dental cleaning is focused on the removal of plaque and tartar build-up above the gum line. By comparison, a surgical cleaning is focused on areas below the gum line and not only removes plaque and tarter but is also focused on bacterial removal and treatment of your tooth roots. Notably, if you have a gum infection and require a surgical cleaning, your dental expert will not perform a traditional cleaning. This is because you have a chronic gum infection and cleaning can be unsafe. A traditional cleaning becomes hazardous to your health. This is because the traditional cleaning process causes the bacteria that has collected to become dislodged. Once loosened, these bacteria can enter the rest of your body or blood leading to possible illness or wider infection.

When a Surgical Cleaning is Needed

Periodontitis is an infective disease that causes bacteria to collect below the gum line. It is often found in spaces where plaque has collected over a long period of time. These bacteria produce acid that dissolves the tissue that connects your teeth to your jaw. Over time, your teeth can fall out and the damage (bone loss) to your jaw can become permanent. A surgical cleaning directly treats periodontitis by applying scaling and root planing treatment methods. Scaling involves removing collected plaque that has accumulated below your gum line. Root planing cleans the root area of the tooth by removing collected bacteria and damaged tissue. This helps remove the infection and aids your teeth in reattaching to your gums and jaw as you heal.

Contact Vero Implants and Periodontics

When you have dental needs, Vero Implants and Periodontics can help provide the service and level of care you expect. While a surgical cleaning can sound off-putting, it is a critical step in fighting gum infection and improving your health. Periodontal disease can be very painful and negatively impact your daily life. With proper treatment, you can start the recovery process and prevent permanent damage to your teeth. Contact us today!