Home > Services > General & Preventive Dentistry > Deep Cleaning
Bleeding gums, persistent bad breath, or gums pulling away from your teeth can point to a problem below the gumline. When plaque and tartar collect along tooth roots, brushing and routine cleanings cannot reach far enough. We evaluate your periodontal health to determine whether a deep cleaning, also called scaling and root planing, is needed.
Scaling and root planing is a therapeutic treatment designed to address periodontitis by cleaning deposits from areas a standard cleaning cannot reach. We help you address:
Clinical Finding | What We Examine | How It Guides Your Care |
|---|---|---|
Pocket Measurements | Depths of spaces between teeth and gums | Identifies active disease requiring treatment below the gumline |
Bleeding and Swelling | Locations of gum tissue inflammation | Pinpoints areas that need targeted therapeutic care |
Subgingival Tartar | Bacterial deposits on root surfaces | Determines why a routine polish is insufficient for the condition |
We record careful measurements of your gum pockets and review imaging to plan treatment by specific location.
We can use local anesthetic to numb the area when appropriate, ensuring you remain comfortable while we clean below the gums.
We remove bacterial deposits and smooth the root surfaces, providing clear home care instructions for your healing process.
When Dr. Mohammad Hammoud took over this Michigan Avenue practice, he built its care standards around clinical honesty and advanced diagnostics. A routine cleaning is not appropriate when periodontitis is present, because it leaves subgingival bacteria untouched. At 313 Dental, we take precise measurements and explain your actual gum condition clearly, ensuring you only receive a deep cleaning when your clinical evaluation genuinely calls for it.
Your gums require gentle handling and consistent ongoing habits to heal properly after scaling and root planing:
No. A routine cleaning removes accessible buildup for patients with generally healthy gums or mild gingivitis, while a deep cleaning treats periodontitis below the gumline and along affected root surfaces.
It is often completed in one or two treatment visits, but some patients need a different schedule. The number of appointments depends on how many areas are affected, the amount of buildup, and how much can be treated thoroughly at one visit.
You can feel pressure or vibration, and tenderness is possible during or after treatment. We can use local anesthetic when appropriate to reduce sensitivity while we clean below the gums, and we will check on your comfort throughout the visit.
Most tenderness begins to settle within a few days, although tooth sensitivity can last longer. We will give you aftercare instructions and tell you when a symptom warrants a call to our office.
If your gums bleed, feel swollen, or have not been evaluated in some time, contact our Dearborn team today to schedule your periodontal assessment.
Reviewed by Dr. Mohammad Hammoud, DMD – 313 Dental, Dearborn, MI
