Walk-ins Welcome!
Protect Your Oral Health With Expert Care
Maintaining a healthy smile goes beyond brushing and flossing at home. Professional dental cleanings provide a deeper level of care that helps prevent dental problems before they start. At Smile Design Centre, we are dedicated to ensuring each patient receives a thorough and comfortable cleaning that promotes lasting oral health and a bright smile.
Why Regular Dental Cleanings Are Important
Regular dental cleanings are essential for maintaining optimal oral health. The procedure removes plaque and tartar that naturally build up on the teeth, both of which can harm your teeth and gums.
Dental plaque is a sticky, colorless film caused by bacteria in the mouth. If not removed, it can result in cavities, gingivitis, and gum disease. Tartar, also called calculus, forms when plaque hardens and cannot be removed with regular brushing or flossing.
By removing these deposits, dental cleanings help prevent gum disease and tooth loss, protecting both oral health and self-confidence.
What Happens During a Dental Cleaning
Dental cleanings are performed by skilled dental hygienists or dentists using specialized instruments designed to gently remove plaque and tartar without harming the teeth.
- Ultrasonic Cleaning: An ultrasonic device vibrates to loosen large tartar deposits while spraying a gentle mist of water to wash away debris and maintain comfort.
- Manual Scaling: Hand tools called scalers and curettes are used to remove smaller deposits and smooth tooth surfaces. These tools are carefully shaped to fit the contours of your teeth.
- Polishing: Teeth are polished with a slow-speed handpiece and a soft rubber cup using prophylaxis paste, a gritty toothpaste-like material that removes surface stains and leaves teeth shiny and smooth.
- Flossing: Dental floss is used to clean between teeth, removing trapped debris.
- Fluoride Treatment: A fluoride gel, foam, or varnish may be applied to strengthen enamel and help prevent cavities.
Professional cleanings not only improve oral health but also enhance the appearance of your teeth for a brighter, healthier smile.
Understanding Dental Plaque
Dental plaque is a soft, sticky layer that forms on teeth due to bacterial growth. It develops when food particles and saliva create a favorable environment for bacteria to thrive. Left untreated, plaque can harden into tartar, which is more difficult to remove and can lead to:
- Tooth Decay: Acid produced by plaque bacteria erodes enamel, causing cavities.
- Gum Disease: Plaque accumulation can inflame and infect gums, causing bleeding, swelling, and potential tooth loss.
- Bad Breath: Bacteria in plaque can create persistent odor that cannot be masked with mouthwash alone.
Preventing plaque buildup requires brushing twice daily, flossing daily, and regular dental cleanings at Smile Design Centre.
What is Periodontal Therapy (Deep Cleaning)
Periodontal therapy, also called scaling and root planing, is a non-surgical treatment for advanced gum disease. It is recommended for patients who have not responded to routine cleanings or have periodontitis.
The Procedure Includes:
- Scaling: Plaque and tartar are removed from above and below the gum line using ultrasonic and hand instruments.
- Root Planing: Root surfaces are smoothed to remove rough spots and bacterial deposits, promoting gum healing and reducing further buildup.
This therapy effectively treats gum disease and prevents tooth loss. Follow-up appointments may be recommended to ensure long-term success.
What is Periodontal Charting
Periodontal charting is a diagnostic tool to assess gum health and detect early signs of gum disease.
- A special probe measures the depth of pockets between teeth and gums. Pockets deeper than 3mm may indicate gum disease.
- Dentists also evaluate gum color, texture, and signs of inflammation or bleeding.
This painless procedure helps identify problems early, preventing permanent damage. Periodontal charting is often part of a routine dental exam at Smile Design Centre.
What is an Ultrasonic Scaler
An ultrasonic scaler is a dental instrument that emits high-frequency vibrations to remove tartar and plaque from teeth.
- The vibrating tip creates tiny bubbles in water that implode, generating a shockwave to dislodge deposits.
- It efficiently removes tartar during routine cleanings and deep scaling procedures.
- This method is faster, more comfortable, and less invasive than traditional hand scaling.
What is Prophylaxis Paste
Prophylaxis paste is a gritty toothpaste-like material used during dental cleanings to polish teeth.
- Removes surface stains and plaque
- Strengthens enamel with added fluoride
- Applied with a soft rubber cup attached to a slow-speed handpiece, polishing all surfaces of the teeth for a smooth, shiny finish
After polishing, a fluoride treatment may be applied to further protect teeth from cavities.