Root planing, also known as a "deep cleaning" is a dental procedure performed when periodontal (gum) disease is detected. Signs of periodontal disease severe enough to warrant a deep cleaning include bleeding gums when brushing or flossing and a shrinking or receding gumline.

A deep cleaning removes plaque and tartar from tooth roots (below the gumline) and leaves behind a smooth, clean surface for gum tissue to re-attach itself to. If you are currently experiencing signs of periodontal (gum) disease, it is important that you call our office at (718) 229-4933 (Queens Office) or (516) 773-4133 (Great Neck Office) and talk to us about coming in for a dental exam. You can also request an appointment online which may help speed up the process.

When oral hygiene maintenance including dental checkups, brushing and flossing aren't kept up with plaque along the gumline starts to harden into tartar which is difficult to remove without seeing a dentist. As time passes, tartar is allowed to sit and keep building up. This tartar is a bacteria producing machine that starts to eat away at your teeth and infect your gums causing gum disease.

As your gums become infected, bacteria starts to destroy the microscopic fibers that attach your gums to your teeth and your gums actually start to detach from your teeth. In return, tartar is then allowed to build up on your tooth root and a deep cleaning (root planing) becomes necessary to remove this tartar. This situation is very serious and if left untreated you run the risk of more dental problems including the removal and replacement of a tooth that has been severely damaged and run the risk of requiring oral surgeries to graft new gum into place. Gum disease has also been linked to other serious health issues such as heart disease and even strokes so make sure you keep your teeth and gums healthy.

If you are currently experiencing signs of shrinking or receding gums, it is important for you to call our office at (718) 229-4933 (Queens Office) or (516) 773-4133 (Great Neck Office) or request an appointment online and come in for an evaluation. It just might make the difference between keeping and losing your teeth.

The benefits of a root planing procedure to your teeth, gums and entire body outweigh the serious problems that can happen if gum disease is left untreated. Every dental insurance provider is different in some ways and many set a specific limit, per year, for dental coverage and includes things such as general cleanings and dental x-rays but often enough the need for a deep cleaning can go beyond this limit but it is very important to check. We will be very happy to work with your dental insurance provider to see if you're covered for a deep cleaning. Call us at (718) 229-4933 (Queens Office) or (516) 773-4133 (Great Neck Office) and let us know who your dental provider is and we can get some questions answered right over the phone and then schedule an appointment to have your come into our office for an evaluation.

Is it Expensive?
Fortunately, if you are left paying for a deep cleaning yourself, it is a very affordable preventive procedure that will help keep your teeth and gums their healthiest. We can work with you to come up with an easy way to pay for a deep cleaning. Please visit our payment and financing options page to learn more or call us directly at (718) 229-4933 (Queens Office) or (516) 773-4133 (Great Neck Office) or even request and appointment and come in to discuss your payment and financing options.