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Brightside General dentistry

Deep cleaning,
below the gumline.

Scaling and root planing. A different appointment from a regular cleaning, done when deposit has built up under the gumline and the gum has started to pull away from the tooth.

Call (778) 754-4488 Hours and location

What it is

It is not a regular cleaning done harder.

A regular cleaning works on what you can see. A deep cleaning works below the gumline, on the root surface, where pockets have formed between gum and tooth. That is a different job, it takes longer, and it is usually split across more than one visit so no single appointment is punishing.

  • Gums bleed regularly when brushing or flossing
  • Gums have receded or teeth look longer
  • Persistent bad breath that brushing does not fix
  • A dentist has mentioned pockets or gum disease
  • It has been many years since any cleaning
  • Teeth feel loose or have shifted

What the visit is like

How it is usually done.

  1. Measuring firstPocket depths around each tooth get charted. That number is what decides whether this is the right treatment and how much work it is.
  2. Freezing, if you want itWorking below the gumline can be tender. Local freezing is available and most people take it.
  3. Split across visitsCommonly one half of the mouth per appointment. That keeps each visit reasonable and lets the first half settle.
  4. A follow-up to see what changedPockets get re-measured after healing. That is how we know whether it worked, rather than assuming.

Cost and coverage

You should never be surprised by a bill.

Every plan arrives with the fee beside each line and the insurance estimate beside that, before you agree to anything. We submit to your plan directly where it allows it, and we are set up for the Canadian Dental Care Plan.

Fees for this are quoted in writing after an exam, per tooth and per surface. Nobody can price it accurately from a website or over the phone.

Common questions

Asked on the phone most weeks.

Why does this cost more than a regular cleaning?
It is a longer appointment, usually more than one of them, and it is charged by time under the BC fee guide. You get the fee and your insurance estimate in writing before it starts.
Will my gums grow back?
Gum that has receded does not grow back. What treatment aims at is stopping further loss and letting inflamed tissue settle. Worth being clear about before you start rather than after.
Is freezing necessary?
Not always. Some people are comfortable without it, particularly where pockets are shallow. Say how you are finding it as we go and we can freeze part way through.

Booking

Say what it is when you call.

If it is pain, say that -- it changes how the day gets arranged. If it is a checkup for three people, say that too and we will try to put you in one morning.

Also at Brightside

Call (778) 754-4488 Hours and location