Saravana Dental Clinic Services

Root Planing

Sub-gingival scaling and root planing is a non-surgical procedure in which the therapist removes calculus (tartar) on the roots of the teeth below the gum line  that causes periodontal infection. Scaling and planing effectively remove upper level periodontal infections where the pockets around your gums are not too deep. Tooth root surfaces below the gum line are cleaned of calculus (tartar) and smoothed with specially designed instruments. This removes the calculus (tartar) and bacteria under the gums, smooths the tooth roots, and makes it more difficult for bacteria to grow under the gums in the future.

Sub-gingival scaling and root planing is usually done an area of the mouth at a time using local anesthesia (novocaine) and are quite different from the routine dental cleaning.

If pockets are small, sub-gingival scaling and root planning may be the only treatment required. If pockets are deep, sub-gingival scaling and root planning may be an initial procedure done to remove some calculus (tartar) and reduce the periodontal infection temporarily in order to provide healthier gum tissue to allow pocket reduction surgery (described below) to be done.