Deep Cleanings (SRP)

Scaling and root planing is a deep cleaning for gum disease. It's a different procedure from a regular cleaning, for a different problem — not an upsell.

A regular cleaning polishes what's above the gumline. When gum disease sets in, hardened buildup forms below it, on the root, where a normal cleaning can't reach. The gum pulls away and forms a pocket, the pocket collects more buildup, and the cycle feeds itself.

SRP clears that buildup off the root and smooths the surface so the gum can tighten back against the tooth.

It's usually done over two visits, one side of your mouth at a time, with the area fully numbed. Most people are surprised how little they feel. Your gums will be tender for a day or two afterward.

Then you come back in a few months so we can measure whether the pockets closed.

Gum disease is the number one reason adults lose teeth, and it's nearly silent until it's advanced — bleeding when you brush is often the only warning you get. Caught at this stage, it's very manageable.