Is scaling and root planing painful?

The procedure is performed with local anesthesia to ensure comfort. When appropriate, we use the Wand Single Tooth Anesthesia System, which delivers anesthetic slowly and precisely. Mild soreness afterward is possible but usually short-lived.

How many appointments are needed for a deep cleaning?

Deep cleaning treatment is often performed in sections of the mouth over one or more visits. Dividing treatment into areas allows the procedure to be completed thoroughly and comfortably.

What happens after a deep cleaning?

After treatment, the gums begin healing as inflammation decreases and the tissues tighten around the teeth. Follow-up visits allow us to monitor healing and ensure the infection has been effectively controlled.

Will I need periodontal maintenance after treatment?

Patients who have experienced gum disease often benefit from periodontal maintenance visits every three to four months. These visits help prevent bacteria from building up again beneath the gums.

Can gum disease return after treatment?

Yes. Gum disease is caused by bacteria, which means it can return if oral hygiene and maintenance visits are neglected. Consistent home care and professional monitoring are the best way to keep the condition stable.

What is a deep cleaning?

A deep cleaning, also called scaling and root planing, is a periodontal treatment that removes bacteria, plaque, and hardened tartar from beneath the gumline. It is used when gum disease has progressed beyond what a routine preventive cleaning can address.

How do regular and deep dental cleanings differ?

A routine cleaning focuses on removing plaque and tartar from the visible surfaces of the teeth and slightly below the gumline. A deep cleaning goes further, removing infection from the root surfaces and areas beneath the gums where periodontal disease develops.

When is a deep cleaning recommended?

Deep cleanings are recommended when bacteria and tartar have accumulated beneath the gums and pockets have formed around the teeth. This often occurs when gum disease has progressed beyond early gingivitis.

Can deep cleanings treat gingivitis?

Yes. However, they aren't necessary unless your gingivitis has progressed to periodontitis. When gum disease is limited to gingivitis, removing bacterial buildup through routine cleaning treatments and improved hygiene can often allow the gums to return to a healthy state. Deep cleanings are reserved for periodontitis.

Can deep cleanings cure periodontitis?

Deep cleanings cannot fully reverse the bone or tissue loss caused by advanced periodontitis. However, they can remove the infection responsible for the disease and help stabilize the gums to prevent further damage.

Deep Cleanings

Treating and Stabilizing Gum Disease

Treatments for Gum Health

Healthy gums form the foundation that supports every tooth in your mouth. When bacteria accumulate along the gumline, the surrounding tissues can become inflamed, leading to a condition known as gum disease.

Gum disease develops in stages. The earliest stage, gingivitis, causes inflammation of the gums but does not yet damage the bone or deeper supporting tissues. With proper care and professional treatment, gingivitis can be reversed.

If the infection progresses deeper below the gumline, it becomes periodontitis. At this stage, bacteria begin affecting the bone and connective tissues that anchor teeth. While this damage cannot be fully reversed, the disease can be controlled and stabilized with appropriate treatment.

At Galligan Family Dentistry, we treat gum disease with non-surgical periodontal therapy designed to remove infection, restore healthier gum tissue when possible, and prevent further loss of supporting structures.

Understanding the Stages of Gum Disease

Gum disease typically develops gradually as bacteria accumulate around the teeth and beneath the gumline.

In its early stage, gingivitis causes inflammation of the gums without affecting the bone that supports the teeth. Patients may notice symptoms such as bleeding during brushing or flossing, mild swelling, or tenderness along the gumline. At this stage, removing bacterial buildup and improving oral hygiene often allows the gums to return to health.

If infection remains untreated, bacteria can move deeper below the gumline and begin damaging the bone and connective tissues that hold the teeth in place. This stage is known as periodontitis.

Signs of progressing gum disease may include:

Persistent bleeding when brushing or flossing
Swollen or tender gums
Receding gum tissue
Chronic bad breath
Teeth that feel loose
Changes in bite alignment
New spacing between teeth

While the structural damage caused by periodontitis cannot be reversed without specialized surgical procedures, early treatment can slow or stop the progression of the disease and protect the stability of the teeth.

Deep Cleanings

When bacteria and hardened deposits accumulate beneath the gums, routine preventive cleanings are no longer sufficient to remove the infection. In these cases, a deeper periodontal cleaning is needed. Deep cleanings, also called scaling and root planing, remove plaque, bacteria, and hardened tartar from the surfaces of the teeth and from beneath the gumline.

Scaling

Scaling removes bacterial buildup and hardened tartar from both the visible surfaces of the teeth and from the areas beneath the gums where infection develops. Specialized instruments allow the dentist or hygienist to carefully clean the root surfaces where bacteria tend to accumulate.

Root Planing

Root planing smooths the surfaces of the tooth roots after deposits have been removed. This process reduces areas where bacteria can easily collect and encourages the surrounding gum tissue to reattach more securely to the tooth.

Together, scaling and root planing remove the bacterial infection responsible for gum disease and allow the surrounding tissues to begin healing.

How Deep Cleanings Help Gum Health

Cleanings serve both preventive and restorative roles in gum disease treatment.

When gingivitis is present, a standard routine cleaning, removes bacterial buildup allows the gums to heal and return to a healthy state. In these cases, the inflammation can be reversed completely.

When periodontitis has developed, the goal of treatment shifts toward controlling infection and stabilizing the supporting structures of the teeth with a deeper cleaning.

While bone and tissue that have already been lost cannot be fully restored through non-surgical therapy alone, removing the infection helps stop the disease from progressing further.

By reducing bacterial pockets around the teeth and allowing the tissues to tighten around the roots, deep cleaning treatment helps protect the teeth and maintain long-term oral health.

What to Expect During a Deep Cleaning

Deep cleaning treatment is typically performed in sections of the mouth to keep the procedure comfortable and thorough.

Before treatment begins, the area is gently numbed so that the cleaning beneath the gums can be performed without discomfort. Using specialized instruments, plaque and hardened deposits are removed from the root surfaces and from the areas beneath the gums.

Depending on the severity of the infection, treatment may be completed over multiple visits so that each area can be carefully cleaned.

After the procedure, the gums begin to heal as inflammation decreases and the tissues gradually tighten around the teeth.

Aftercare and Longevity

Successfully managing gum disease requires ongoing care and monitoring.

After deep cleaning treatment, maintaining healthy gums includes:

Consistent daily brushing and flossing
Regular periodontal maintenance visits
Monitoring gum pocket depth and tissue health
Preventing bacterial buildup from returning below the gumline

Patients with a history of gum disease often benefit from periodontal maintenance visits that occur more frequently than routine cleanings. These visits help control bacteria and monitor the stability of the gums and supporting bone.

With consistent care and professional monitoring, gum disease can often be stabilized and managed successfully for many years.

Frequently Asked Questions About Deep Cleanings

If you have questions about deep cleanings or are experiencing symptoms such as bleeding gums, persistent bad breath, or gum recession, our team is here to help evaluate your gum health and recommend appropriate care.

Protecting the Foundation of Your Smile

Gum disease affects the tissues and bone that support your teeth, making early treatment essential for protecting long-term oral health. Deep cleaning treatment removes infection beneath the gums, helping the tissues heal and preventing further damage to the structures that anchor your teeth.

At Galligan Family Dentistry, we provide scaling and root planing and ongoing periodontal care for patients throughout North Raleigh, Bedford, Wake Forest, Rolesville, and surrounding communities, helping stabilize gum health and protect your smile for years to come.

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PATIENT INFORMATION

Location

Galligan Family Dentistry
11420 Falls of Neuse Rd
Raleigh, NC 27614

Contact

Phone: (919) 977-1870
Fax: (919) 977-1872
Email: info@galliganfamilydentistry.com

Phone: (919) 977-1870
Fax: (919) 977-1872
Email: Click To Email

Hours

Monday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday: Closed
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

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