For Teeth Cleaning What Are the Different Levels?

There are 3 levels of cleaning generally speaking with Regular cleaning(prophylaxis) is performed every 6 month. 2nd level will be FMD which is performed when extensive tartar is present and it is difficult to do thorough exam . 3rd level will be SRP which is performed with advance gum disease with bleeding, tartar underneath gums etc.  Periodontist(gum specialist) is usually get involved in very advance or stubborn cases to get gum surgery. Hopefully this information will help you understand about cleanings.

You’ve asked a really
great question, and one that most dentists wish their patients understood –
cleanings vary depending on the health of a patient’s mouth. There are
typically two types of cleanings: preventive and periodontal. A preventive
cleaning is your routine cleaning that accompanies an exam, x-rays, oral cancer
screening, periodontal screening, and oral hygiene instruction. Periodontal
treatments involve deep cleanings or maintenance cleanings due to deep areas of
bone loss, tissue detachment, and buildup that is inaccessible to patients
during normal oral hygiene, requiring more attention by the hygienist.

Usually we divide cleaning according to how often the patient comes into the dental practice and the health of the gums and teeth. For a new patient in our dental office, I do the cleaning and exam because I want to spend the time getting to know the patient as well as his gums and teeth!  If you are a new patient, you will have needed x rays and exam and a routine cleaning which is necessary to remove tartar and plaque along the gum line.  An ultrasonic device for scaling  and hand instruments are used on the entire tooth above gum line and below to remove mineral deposits and tartar. Then the teeth are polished and you have beautifully clean teeth. If the new patient has built up heavy calculus and mineral deposits under the gum line, you will do a full mouth debridement or extensive cleaning. After the debridement, there is another type of cleaning which is called Root Planning and Deep Scaling, which this type of patient will need.  It is more invasive and is necessary for moderate or advanced stages of gum disease  when bone loss and  pocketing occur and the root surfaces have mineral deposits. The last stage of cleaning is more extensive and more invasive. If you have been diagnosed with Advanced Periodontal Disease you will need to see a Periodontal Specialist for your cleanings!  Hope this helps and good luck!

There are many different levels of cleaning depending the health status of your gums and supporting bone.  Periodontitis is a disease process where bacteria (found in plaque and calculus) cause damage to the gums and bone that support your teeth.  We measure this by looking at the "Pocket Depths" around your teeth and by looking at the x-rays.  A full periodontal chart should be done (recording the "pocket depths", which start at 1mm and go up to as high as 12-13mm).  Normal ranges are 2-3mm (this would mean you probably need a prophy, or basic cleaning).  Anything higher than that and you may have periodontal disease, in which case you need a "Deep Cleaning."  Your dentist will let you know exactly what you need after he does a diagnosis.  During the cleaning, there are many things to look for, like a plaque index (the purple stuff - disclosing solution), ultrasonic cleaning, oral hygiene instructions, hand scaling, flossing, etc.  If you need a deep cleaning, you may also get anesthetic (numbing) in order to clean those deeper pockets. Hope that helps!