Gum disease is an oral health issue that affects not only your gums, but your periodontal ligaments, your jawbone, and your whole-body health as well. When it first begins, however, it is often barely noticeable. The longer it goes untreated, the worse it becomes, leading to the formation of periodontal pockets, gum recession, loose teeth, and tooth loss. Treating gum disease is essential for stopping its progression and restoring the health of your mouth. One of the most common treatments for gum disease is scaling and root planing. At The Dentists at North Cypress, we perform scaling using an ultrasonic scaler.
The Progression Of Gum Disease
When gum disease first starts, you might be completely unaware of its presence. It begins when bacteria attack your gums, which causes the tissue to become irritated and inflamed. Without treatment, the condition only worsens. Swollen tissue pulls away from your teeth, leading to the formation of periodontal pockets. These pockets then collect more plaque and bacteria. As the condition progresses, the periodontal pockets become deeper, your gums begin to recede, and bacteria begin attacking your periodontal ligaments and jawbone. Eventually, you may be faced with loose teeth and even tooth loss.
Treating Gum Disease With Scaling And Root Planing
A common treatment for gum disease is scaling and root planing. This treatment is a type of deep cleaning for your teeth, during which all surfaces of your teeth are cleaned. Scaling is the cleaning of the visible surfaces of your teeth, including along and just below your gum line. Root planing is the cleaning of the root surfaces of your teeth. Removing buildup from the roots smooths them, preventing new bacterial buildup. With all accumulation removed from your teeth, your gums can begin to heal.
What Is An Ultrasonic Scaler?
Traditionally, scaling has been done with a manual scraping tool. Today, however, we can perform the treatment more effectively, and more comfortably, with an ultrasonic scaler. An ultrasonic scaler is a dental tool that uses low-frequency sound waves that vibrate against the surfaces of your teeth. These vibrations effectively break up and remove even the most stubborn debris. Additionally, the ultrasonic scaler is much gentler on your sensitive gum tissues.
There are two different types of ultrasonic scalers. One is called a magnetostrictive scaler. The head of this scaler rotates around in a circular motion. It moves at a speed of between 25,000 and 30,000 cycles per second. The other type of ultrasonic scaler is called a piezoelectric scaler. The head of this scaler moves back and forth at a speed of 28,000 to 36,000 cycles per second. Many ultrasonic scalers also have a nozzle attached that allows us to spray water or an antibacterial solution to help clean away debris as we treat your teeth.
The Benefits Of An Ultrasonic Scaler
Ultrasonic scalers provide several significant benefits. These benefits include:
• A more thorough, effective cleaning of your teeth.
• Faster treatment. We can clean your teeth in less time than with a manual scaler.
• Reduced trauma to already sensitive gum tissues.
• The removal of surface stains. In addition to treating gum disease and restoring your oral health, we can also help to brighten your smile in the process.
With an ultrasonic scaler, we can effectively remove the most stubborn buildup from the surfaces of your teeth, stopping the progression of gum disease and helping your mouth to heal. Call The Dentists at North Cypress today at (281) 664-8100 for more information and to schedule your appointment today.