Scaling & Root Planing
Bleeding gums when you brush aren’t just a sign you brushed too hard, it’s often one of the first signs of gum disease, something roughly 42 percent of adults over 30 deal with at some point. Scaling and root planing is a deep cleaning that reaches below the gumline, removing the plaque and tartar buildup that a regular cleaning can’t touch and smoothing the tooth roots so your gums can reattach and heal. As part of our General & Family Dentistry services, it’s the treatment that stops early gum disease before it threatens the bone holding your teeth in place. Emerald Dental provides scaling and root planing at both our Lakewood and Littleton offices.
Curious what your smile could look like in six months?
Smile Fact
Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, yet it cannot repair itself once it is lost.
What Is Scaling & Root Planing
Scaling and root planing is a nonsurgical deep-cleaning treatment used to remove plaque and hardened tartar from below the gumline and along the tooth root surfaces. Scaling removes these deposits from the teeth and periodontal pockets, while root planing smooths the root surfaces to create a cleaner environment for the gums to heal.
Together, these steps help reduce the bacteria and inflammation associated with gum disease and can help periodontal pockets become shallower as the gums heal. Scaling and root planing is often used as an initial treatment for periodontitis, followed by continued monitoring and periodontal maintenance when needed.
How Scaling & Root Planing Works
Conversation and Assessment.
You’ll talk through any bleeding, sensitivity, or concerns you’ve noticed, then get a full exam checking pocket depths, gum inflammation, and areas where tartar has built up.
Scaling.
Ultrasonic tools and fine instruments gently remove plaque, tartar, and bacteria from below the gumline and around the tooth roots.
Root Planing and Follow-Up.
Root surfaces are smoothed so your gums can heal and reattach, and a follow-up visit confirms your gums are responding well.
Benefits of Scaling & Root Planing
Gum disease is quiet in its early stages, which is exactly why a deep cleaning that actually reaches the problem matters.
Reduced bleeding and inflammation when you brush or floss
Gums that reattach and fit more snugly around your teeth
Fresher breath by removing the bacteria that cause odor
Lower risk of tooth loss by protecting the bone and tissue that support your teeth
Gum health that may be connected to broader areas of your overall health
Why Emerald Dental for Scaling & Root Planing
Every treatment plan is based on what your exam actually shows, pocket depths, inflammation, and where tartar has built up, not a one-size-fits-all deep cleaning. Comfort-first techniques, including local anesthesia when needed, keep the procedure as gentle as the results are effective. Both our Lakewood and Littleton offices offer the same standard of care. Meet our doctors on our About Us page.
What Patients Are Saying
Real feedback from real patients across our Lakewood and Littleton offices.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is scaling and root planing different from a regular cleaning?
A regular cleaning addresses the surfaces of your teeth and just above the gumline, while scaling and root planing goes below it, targeting the plaque and tartar buildup on tooth roots that a standard cleaning can’t reach. It’s a more targeted treatment for gums already showing signs of disease, not a routine maintenance visit.
Is scaling and root planing painful?
Most patients feel little to no discomfort, and local anesthesia is available if your gums are especially sensitive. Some mild tenderness afterward is normal and typically fades within a few days.
How many visits does treatment take?
Many patients complete treatment in one or two visits, often split by side of the mouth, though your exact plan depends on how much buildup and inflammation your dentist finds. You’ll know your specific timeline after your assessment.
How long do the results last?
With consistent oral hygiene and regular cleanings, results can last for years, though ongoing periodontal maintenance visits help keep gum disease from returning. Your dentist will recommend a follow-up schedule based on how your gums respond.
What happens if gum disease goes untreated?
Left untreated, gum disease can progress and damage the bone and tissue that hold your teeth in place, eventually increasing the risk of tooth loss. Catching it early with scaling and root planing is what keeps it from reaching that point.
Give Your Gums a Real Chance to Heal
Bleeding, swollen, or tender gums usually won’t improve by ignoring what’s happening below the gumline. Scaling and root planing removes the buildup contributing to gum disease and gives your gums a cleaner environment to begin healing. Emerald Dental provides scaling and root planing at our Lakewood and Littleton offices. Schedule an evaluation and take the next step toward getting your gums healthy again.
Find Us
Two Convenient Locations
Both offices are open Monday through Thursday and accept new patients of all ages.
Lakewood
Emerald Dental Lakewood
12093-A West Alameda Pkwy, Lakewood, CO 80228
Littleton
Emerald Dental Littleton
2731 W Belleview Ave, Littleton, CO 80123