A dental scaling is an odontological technique or treatment that is used to slow down the progression of periodontitis and stabilise the disease. It is a non-surgical and minimally invasive technique in which, by applying local anaesthesia and using specific instruments, the bacterial deposits lodged inside the gums, which are responsible for the progression of the disease, are cleaned and disinfected.
To understand this last point, we must first understand some concepts. First, we need to explain that the periodontal disease is one of the most frequent pathologies, along with caries, that can occur in the oral cavity. Both are caused by bacteria, but there are differences.
The cariogenic plaque (which causes tooth decay) is that which comes from the metabolism of food sugars and affects the enamel, i.e. the teeth, whereas periodontopathogenic plaqueThe accumulation of which may be due to various factors or a mixture of them, is responsible for periodontal disease, which affects the supporting structures of our teeth: gums, periodontal ligament and bone.
When we talk about different factors, we mean that although good dental hygiene at home can keep it at bay, certain genetic predispositions or dental anatomy can cause it to affect some people more than others.
Periodontal disease, in its initial stage, involves inflammation, redness and bleeding gums. This stage is known as gingivitis and is reversible. By performing a tartrectomy (i.e. a dental cleaning) and maintaining proper oral hygiene techniques over time, not only will the disease be 'controlled', but also the gums will be restored to full health without any sequelae.
If not addressed at this early stage, the disease will progress to periodontitis. It is at this stage that the supporting tissues of the tooth begin to be destroyed, which can lead to the loss of one or more teeth if it is not treated in time and we allow it to progress.
Moreover, it is at this stage that we enter a period of 'irreversibility' in the after-effects. And the fact is that the tissue destroyed by periodontitis cannot regenerate or recover in any way, even if we manage to control the disease, that is all we can do, to keep it 'at bay', as we explained in this article.
This is where scaling comes into play, they are the treatment that helps us to keep it at bay once we reach this point. The treatment consists of removing the tartar accumulated on the inside of the gum using mechanical techniques, with ultrasonic instruments and other elements such as curettes, which adapt to the contour of the root to easily remove the bacterial deposits without damaging the gums.
In other words, it is a dental cleaning but focused on the gums and periodontal pockets. It also includes a polishing and smoothing of the root surface in order to prevent bacteria from building up again in this area.
Once the treatment has been carried out, the patient should visit the clinic periodically for check-ups and controls and follow the daily oral hygiene recommendations to prevent the disease from recurring.