Scale, calculus or tartar accumulates on teeth providing conditions for biofilm (bacteria) to grow and infect your gums. Scaling and polishing essentially cleans and smooths teeth so that bacteria are unable to stick to them.
This procedure is now one of the most important treatments you can have to help you maintain your bone (the anchor for your teeth), soft tissues and teeth into retirement.
A dental hygienist scales and polishes your teeth removing deposits, examines gums for disease or abnormality taking steps to eliminate calculus, stains and biofilm (plaque).
Education is a key to the success of your treatment, understanding gum disease and how to prevent it’s existence in your mouth. Working as a team is what it’s about, guided and supported by your hygienist, regular procedures and good home care will ensure the best outcome. We may also do preventative procedures such as cavity preventing fluoride.
Your Access Dental Dental Hygienist will clean your teeth by scraping hard mineral buildup (tartar) off your teeth with a small metal tool. Then they will floss your teeth, using a polishing compound, and apply fluoride. Cleanings usually aren’t uncomfortable.
Commonly used is an ultrasonic instrument which uses vibrations to knock off the larger pieces of tartar while spraying out a cooling mist of water which washes away the debris and also keeps the area at a proper temperature, it typically emits a humming or high pitched whistling sound.
Once the larger pieces of tartar are gone, the hygienist will switch to finer hand tools. These instruments remove the smaller deposits and smoothen the tooth surfaces. These tools are curved and shaped to match the tooth surface. Gentle to moderate and careful scaling is performed.
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