Root Planing After Care Instructions

The area to be root planed will be numbed using conventional dental anesthesia, the same as given for a dental filling. Once you are numb you should feel comfortable during the procedure. Your mouth, lips and tongue may remain numb for up to three hours.

The root surfaces of your teeth will be smoothed and planed to remove any deposits, bacteria, or ledges that may exist. The smoothing will extend down the root to areas that cannot be comfortably reached in a conventional dental deaning. In addition to cleaning the teeth, the root planning will remove a very fme layer of the root surface that has been contaminated by prolonged exposure to the bacteria in dental plaque.

We normally root plane one quadrant of the mouth at a time. The appointment usually takes from 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the number of teeth and the severity of the problem. A routine root planning requires no sutures or cutting of the gum tissues. Exceptions may occur where the tissue is infected or particularly flabby, but you will be notified should this be necessary.

Very often our patients are able to return to work with very little discomfort. Unless you have been pre-medicated you should be able to drive to the dental office and back home with no difficulty. If such is the case, you willbe given special instruction that explains postoperative care.

Various factors such as your health, nutrition, inherited immune resistance, habits, and personal oral hygiene will determine the short and long term effectiveness of this procedure. For certain patients, annual root planning may be required in addition to conventional scaling and polishing.

We certainly will strive to make your treatment a comfortable and pleasant experience. Please do not hesitate to call our dental office, (281) 482-2631, concerning any questions you may have about your treatment.

Enjoy your fine dental restorations. Care for them as you would any prized possession.

There is nothing you will use as often and as long as your teeth. Call us for any reason, compliments or complaints.

FDG