Is Dental Deep Cleaning Considered Surgery?

Dental deep cleaning is not considered a surgical procedure although it does involve local anesthesia. Your dentist will recommend deep gum cleaning procedures if your gums are swollen and red due to gingivitis but the stage of periodontal disease is not advanced enough to merit surgery.

Features of Deep Cleaning

• After numbing the areas to be treated, your dental professional will use methods known as dental scaling and root planing to remove plaque and tartar that are stuck to the surface of your teeth and between the teeth and gum lining. Also, irregular sections of the root exterior will be polished to create a smooth surface which helps to the tooth to re attach to the gums.

Effects

• The main purpose of dental deep cleaning is to reduce the size of periodontal pockets and eliminate existing bacteria. This will prevent more damage such as tooth loss caused by the progression of periodontal disease, and help you maintain a healthy smile.

Significance

• During surgery a disease or disorder is treated by cutting, removing or changing the body through an operative procedure. There is no cutting involved in a dental deep cleaning; it is performed with electrically powered scalers and hand instruments.

Warning

• Even though deep cleaning is not surgery, complications from infection can occur. Contact you dental professional immediately if you develop a fever or have excessive bleeding, pain, and swelling after your deep gum cleaning procedure.

Considerations

• A deep cleaning can prevent more serious forms of gum disease that require surgery. If you have been diagnosed with periodontal disease, such as gingivitis, it is recommended that you have a dental deep cleaning as soon as possible to prevent your condition from worsening.