A regular cleaning works on the surfaces you can see. A deep cleaning — scaling and root planing — goes beneath the gumline to clear bacteria and hardened deposits off the roots, then smooths those surfaces so the gum has something clean to reattach to.
This is the treatment for periodontal disease, and periodontal disease is the most common reason adults lose teeth. It is also quiet. Gums that bleed when you brush, breath that will not freshen, teeth that look longer than they used to — those are the warnings, and none of them hurt enough to force the issue.
In practice this is two appointments, each covering one half of the mouth under local anesthetic. For the following year we shorten the recall interval, because that first year tells us whether the pockets are closing up and the gums are stabilising.
Common questions
Why can't a normal cleaning do this?
A normal cleaning cannot reach below the gumline. Once pockets have formed around the roots, the deposits inside them have to be removed directly, which needs numbing.
Will my gums grow back afterwards?
Gum that has already receded does not come back. What treatment does is halt the process — which is why the useful time to act is when the bleeding starts, not when teeth loosen.
Is it sore afterwards?
Expect tenderness for two or three days and some cold sensitivity that fades over a few weeks. Ordinary painkillers are enough, and you will leave knowing exactly what is normal and what is not.
Questions about deep cleaning?
Call the office and ask. We'd rather talk it through than have you guess from a website.