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Smiles R Us Dental
Dentist · Health
Scaling and Polishing
Your dentist or hygienist will use a 'scale and polish' when your teeth require a thorough clean to remove all traces of plaque and tartar. Scaling is used to remove the hard tartar on your teeth, which cannot be removed by simply brushing your teeth. The polishing stage helps to clean away stains from your teeth, which may have been caused by coffee, tea or red wine. For stubborn stains, you require something more than polishing. The dentist uses an equipment known as "prophyjet" to 'blast away' the stains. If you have gum disease, you will require a deeper scaling which is called 'root planing'. As this treatment cleans all around the roots of the teeth, your dentist or hygienist may discuss the option of giving you a local anaesthetic, so that it does not feel too sensitive and uncomfortable.
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Having a regular 'scale and polish' will help you maintain healthy teeth and gums and it will make it easier for you to keep them clean at home. As this procedure will thoroughly clean your teeth, they will look and feel different too. If your gums bleed when you brush your teeth, this may be the early signs of gum disease and you should tell your dentist. By visiting your dentist or hygienist for regular scaling, this can help prevent gum disease from getting worse. This will also prevent bad breath, which may be caused by gum disease.
Fillings
A dental restoration or dental filling is a dental restorative material used artificially to restore the function, integrity and morphology of missing tooth structure. The structural loss typically results from caries or external trauma. Dental restorations may be fabricated out of a variety of materials such as dental amalgam, glass ionomer cement and composite resins. Several factors influence the performance, durability, longevity and cost of dental restorations. These factors include: the patient's oral and general health, the components used in the filling material; where and how the filling is placed; the chewing load that the tooth will have to bear; and the length and number of visits needed to prepare and adjust the restored tooth.
Extraction (Simple)
A dental extraction, sometimes referred to as exodontia, is the removal of a tooth from the mouth. Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons, including tooth decay that has destroyed enough tooth structure to prevent restoration. Extractions of impacted or problematic wisdom teeth are also routinely performed, as are extractions of some permanent teeth to make space for orthodontic treatment.
