Professional Teeth Cleaning in Reston, Virginia
Looking after your teeth and gums takes more than brushing and flossing at home. A professional dental cleaning reaches the places a toothbrush cannot, and it matters as much for the health of your mouth as it does for the look of your smile.
Plaque holds millions of bacteria. Left on the tooth surface and around the gumline, they are what leads to gingivitis and, further along, to periodontitis. Caught early, both are very manageable, which is the whole point of coming in twice a year.
What a Cleaning Removes
Dark pigmented staining from coffee, tea, red wine and tobacco.
Tartar above the gumline and below it.
Partially mineralized bacterial plaque, the soft deposit that turns into tartar if it stays.
The procedure restores the natural color of your teeth without damaging the enamel. Most patients feel nothing at all, and in some cases there is mild discomfort rather than pain.
What the Appointment Involves
Deposits are removed with a dental scaler, which works by transmitting wave vibration into the tartar itself.
The scaler tips deliver water while they work, and in that wet field the ultrasonic wave breaks up mineralized deposit and separates it from the enamel. The instrument reaches tartar below the gumline as well as above it. How long this takes depends entirely on the current state of your mouth, and a cleaning averages around an hour.
Polishing follows. Removing the deposit and then polishing the surface is what keeps the enamel smooth for a long stretch afterward and slows down how quickly new plaque takes hold.
Why Ultrasonic Scaling Works Well
- It reaches everything. Different tips let the hygienist work deep into periodontal pockets, the space between the tooth and the gum, and lift heavy deposit near the gumline.
- It is thorough. Full removal of tartar and plaque, followed by polishing.
- It helps the gums. When the gums are inflamed, the infection sits mainly in the periodontal pockets. The cavitation effect of ultrasound, the tiny bubbles it produces, has an antibacterial action in exactly that area.
- It is comfortable. No anesthetic is needed for a routine cleaning. Where discomfort does come up it tends to be during work below the gumline, and usually in patients whose tooth necks are particularly sensitive. Tell your hygienist and they will adjust.
Air Polishing
Air polishing uses a mixture of air, fine polishing powder and water to lift surface staining and soft plaque. We use it alongside scaling where it makes sense, rather than as a separate treatment you have to ask for or pay extra for.
It suits some situations particularly well. It works around brackets and under the archwire, which is where plaque builds up during orthodontic treatment and where a toothbrush struggles. It cleans around implants and prosthetic work without harming them, and since how long that work lasts is tied directly to how clean it is kept, that matters. It reaches the grooves on the molars ahead of sealing them. And it is effective on staining from smoking, tea, coffee and red wine.
Because it works with kinetic energy rather than direct pressure and involves no heat or vibration, patients with sensitive teeth often find it the more comfortable part of the appointment. The powder is not toxic. It is not right for everyone though, and if you are on a sodium-restricted diet or have a respiratory condition, mention it, since that changes which powder is used or whether it is used at all.
Things to Mention Before We Start
Let us know if you have a pacemaker or another implanted cardiac device, or an irregular heart rhythm.
Tell us if you are unwell on the day, particularly with anything acute or respiratory.
Mention any unusual sensitivity, and any medication you are taking.
None of these necessarily means we cannot clean your teeth. They change how we approach the appointment, which is why we ask.
How Often to Come In
Making the Effect Last
A lot of it comes down to what you use at home. After your cleaning the dentist will go through your options with you, brush, toothpaste and rinse, chosen around your own teeth and gums rather than off a general list. It is a short conversation and it makes a noticeable difference to how long the result holds.
What a Cleaning Costs
A routine cleaning is priced as a single appointment covering the whole mouth rather than tooth by tooth. What it comes to depends on how much deposit has built up since your last visit and whether an examination and X-rays are being done at the same time.
Most dental plans cover routine preventive cleanings twice a year, often in full, and this is the one appointment where insurance is usually on your side. We will check your benefits before you come in so you know where you stand.
If there is significant tartar below the gumline and signs of gum disease, what you need is a deep cleaning rather than a routine one. That is a different procedure, billed under different codes and covered differently by insurance, and we would never move you onto it without explaining why first and giving you the numbers.
