Dental Scaling

Dental Scaling

Scaling is a term referred to the cleaning of teeth in order to remove the calculus deposits and stains over the tooth surface.

You need Scaling in following cases

It is done using an ultrasonic scaler. Scaler consists of a tip which mechanically removes all the deposits over your teeth. It vibrates and oscillates at high frequencies and aid in removal of calculus. While scaling when the tip vibrates it is accompanied by the continous flow of water which acts as a coolant. It is normal filtered water which prevents the instrument by getting heated up.

Also ultrasonic scaler produces air bubbles which enter benath the gum surfaces. The bacteria residing in the calculus being anaerobic can not survive due to these air bubbles. The the oxygen in the air bubbles aid in breakdown of the cell membrane of bacteria and they burst. Hence the tooth surface is made free of bacteria.

Various tips are available used at different surface like in between the teeth, along the gums, tooth surface.

Speed of instrument is adjusted as per the amount of deposition. Tenacious deposits are removed at high speed while stains can be removed al lower speeds also.

These tips do not have cutting efficiency. They can not abrade or alter your tooth surface. They only remove the deposits on the tooth surface and underneath.

It is harmless procedure which rather prevent deterioration of bone by removal of deposit between gums and teeth where bone is present.

After that, hand instruments are needed sometimes to remove the remanant deposition completely.

If these deposits are not removed,  they keep on depositing layer under layer.

Have you ever thought where does these deposits get the space?

These deposits basically eat up your bone and replace it gradually. Eventually they get thicker day by day and bone levels keep on decreasing. When bone goes missing gums automatically go down because it is gums are soft tissues supported by bone.

So if you won’t get the deposits removed , your teeth are anyway getting weaker day by day.

Therefore it is a myth that scaling weakens your teeth.

Sometimes if the amount of deposition is more, sensitivity increases for some period of time. This is no sode effect. This is basically due to the reason that the root surface or the tooth surface which was earlier covered by the deposits gets exposed. So whatever you drinks hits the surface and the pores known as dentinal tubules in tooth are open due to long term deposition.  Some desensitising toothpaste and mouthwash are prescribed for certain duration varying from patient to patient. With time sensitivity subsides.

This sensitivity may vary from individual to individual. Some are highly sensitive and some feel nothing at all. Though sensitivity is not a permanent problem. If it bothers you a lot scaling is done in instalments involving 4-6 teeth at a time.

Some people also feel that the gaps between the teeth increases with scaling.  This too is a myth. Gaps are already created by the bone loss. You don’t feel them much because they are replaced by the deposits side by side. When the deposits are removed the space get vacant and gaps become more appreciable.

Gums also gets detached from the tooth surface due to depostion to make room for calculus.

After scaling gums are reattached and become healthy after gum massage as and when prescribed.

Though gums level which has already gone down and bone which is lost won’t come back with scaling.  But scaling will definitely prevent further gum recession and bone degradation.

Also the shade of teeth won’t be more white after scaling.  The yellowish deposits and stains are definitely removed but teeth will be of same shade which they had prior to deposition. 

If you want to whiten your teeth separate procedure known as Bleaching or Teeth Whitening has to be done.

If the stains are of tobacco and it is covering whole of the tooth surface and you are a paan or tobacco chewer since long time, then sometimes chemicals to remove them is used along with scaling.

Even then sometimes brownish hues in the deep pits and fissures retains if it is accompanied with long history.

Smoking also causes staining of teeth.

Excessive tea coffee or aerated drinks also stain your teeth. These staining can be removed by means of scaling.

If massive deposition is there on the teeth there is posibility that your teeth become mobile after scaling.  Its not because of the procedure but because the bone is lost to such extent that teeth are supported by deposits.  Slight mobility goes off with time after scaling with proper maintainence. Whether there is a possibility of mobility or not is decided only after having a look on your teeth and bone levels.

After scaling, special care towards hygiene is very much necessary.  Tendency to deposition is more after scaling in initial days. Also because of the gaps created by scaling food lodgement increases.  But all this is temporary.  To prevent this cleaning in between the teeth becomes important specially when there are gaps between the teeth. Interdental brushes are used for this purpose.  This removes the food lodged between the teeth. Proper brushing prevent further deposition. 

Mouthwash and gum paints are prescribed after scaling as per the condition of your teeth for certain period.

Excessive tea coffee or continuation of smoking specially immediately after scaling will cause more staining.

Gum massage helps in reattachment of loose gums by increasing blood circulation in the gum tissues.

Various toothpaste are also needed sometimes if you have sensitivity or bleeding gums. Medications after scaling is not mostly needed. Antibiotics are needed if deposition is massive or you are diabetic or heart patients.

Some antibiotics gels are prescribed to the patients with massive deposition or swollen gums. These provide local delivery of antibiotics along the gums. This will kill the bacteria remaining if any, and prevent further colonization of bacteria.

Scaling is risk free procedure. It can be done at any age in any conditions. Regular follow ups should be done every 6 months. Usually scaling is needed every year depending on the care taken by you.

 

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