How Long Does Deep Teeth Cleaning Take?
The time it takes for you to complete a deep teeth cleaning depends on just how many areas of your mouth require attention, the extent of buildup on your teeth, and the condition of your gums. This scaling and root planing, or deep cleaning, goes beyond the visible surface of your teeth, which is addressed at typical dental appointments. It cleans near the roots where tartar, plaque, and bacteria gather, below the gumline.
Generally, the dentist divides your mouth into sections, usually of two or four quadrants, and treats one or two sections at a time. Each quadrant's thorough cleaning may take 30 to 60 minutes. As a result, a full-mouth deep cleaning may be completed over the course of either one or two appointments, as the completion depends on how your provider schedules the treatment. The appointment may last for 60 to 90 minutes or longer if multiple quadrants are treated in one visit.
Your provider may recommend that you spread out the treatment across those two visits, especially when inflammation is present or you receive local anesthesia to improve your comfort. Since numbing a large area of the mouth all at once isn’t always ideal, dividing up the cleaning can help minimize discomfort and allow for more focused care. Your deep cleaning, in this case here, would be completed in the course of two separate sessions, focusing then on each mouth side.
Duration of the appointment might depend on the use of manual scaling tools or ultrasonic instruments. Practices that depend on ultrasonic technology tend to offer shorter procedure times as compared to others that use a hands-on method. Your provider is going to select the best tools that suit the condition of the gums and the depth of the pockets.
Depending on your deep cleaning and the health of your mouth prior to the procedure, you may need to return for a follow-up visit to assess your gums’ response. This appointment allows the dental team to measure pocket depths, check for continued inflammation, and ensure the healing process is progressing as expected. The follow-up appointment will be faster than the cleaning appointments. In order to maintain the results of the deep cleaning and to maintain your improved gum health, you should follow the suggested timing for your regular dental cleanings.
In order to have the best results of your deep cleaning, be sure to ask the dentist about your treatment plan. The deep cleaning appointment will be longer than a normal visit for dental care. In the event your treatment requires multiple sessions of deep cleaning, you will have to schedule those. In order to address the gum disease properly, you will want to give the dentist ample time to clean well.
Deep cleaning's additional investment of time, beyond routine cleaning overall, is intended to protect your teeth as well as support healthier gums from complications. The lasting duration of your appointment depends on how severe your gum condition is, what tools your provider uses, and whether you treat one or both sides of your mouth at a time.
If you have more questions about deep teeth cleaning or how it could work as a part of your treatment plan to achieve better dental health, make an appointment with the dentist to see if deep cleaning can help you.