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Also serving Federal Way, Tacoma, Sumner, Milton, Graham, and Auburn, WA.
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A prophylaxis is also called a cleaning. It is the removal of plaque, calculus, and stain from tooth structures not affected by bone loss (above the gum line).
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The old system of everyone having their teeth cleaned only twice a year has fallen out of favor. In fact, many believe that the idea actually came from the recommendations of a 1940 toothpaste advertisement!
While some people may be able to maintain their dental health with semi-annual cleanings, many patients find that their mouths and teeth stay in better shape when they have their teeth cleaned more frequently. Many dentists and hygienists are now setting up a patient’s cleaning schedule based on their personal needs. This may be as often as four times a year.
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Why should I have it done more often?
Dental insurance isn’t really insurance (a payment to cover the cost of a loss) at all. It is actually a money benefit, typically provided by an employer, to help their employees pay for routine dental treatment. The employer usually buys a plan based on the amount of the benefit and how much the premium costs per month. Most benefit plans are only designed to cover a portion of the total cost of a person’s necessary dental treatment. For example, a dentist may recommend a crown for a tooth that has extensive decay, however, the dental plan may only cover the cost of a filling. This does not mean that the patient does not need a crown, only that the benefit is limited to a filling.
While twice yearly insurance payment toward the cost of teeth cleaning is common, that type of payment arrangement actually has no relationship to what any patient might really need. Many patients need cleanings more frequently. People who have heavy plaque and calculus buildup are prime candidates. Also people who are generally healthy but have certain types of systemic conditions, such as diabetes, or those taking specific medications, may require more frequent cleanings. The good news is that with the help of dental benefits, the amount you have to pay is reduced!
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Periodontal disease can be described as an infection of the gums and bone which support the teeth. Bacterial plaque, and its toxic by-products, plus calculus and roughened root surfaces can overwhelm the mouth’s defenses. Typically, unhealthy gum tissue covers eroded bone, resulting in abnormal pockets around the roots. Left untreated, periodontal disease can result in loss of teeth. It is a common, and sometimes silent, condition in many adults.
Root planning and scaling are therapeutic, meticulous, and time consuming treatments designed to remove toxins and bacteria from the root surfaces of the teeth, thereby allowing the body’s immune system to begin the healing process. Calculus (tartar), diseased cementum and/or dentin are scaled away. (Cementum is the hard tissue that covers the tooth root. Dentin is that part of the tooth that is underneath the cementum.) Several appointments, treating sections of the mouth at a time, and local anesthesia may be required. Your dental hygienist will provides this service. The American Academy of Periodontology considers scaling the root surface to be a critical element in establishing periodontal health. In addition, studies now show a relationship between gum and bone health and certain heart conditions, premature and low birth-weight babies, and various systemic diseases.
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A periodontal maintenance procedure is not the same treatment as a regular cleaning even though a hygienist may perform both services. A periodontal maintenance procedure includes, but is not limited to:
- An update of your medical and dental history
- X-ray review of bone health
- Cancer exam of the oral tissues
- Tooth examination by the Dr. (The dentist’s exam is separate from the periodontal
maintenance and billed separately as well)
- Gum and bone examination (periodontal probing around each tooth to check for bone
loss, and active infection (bleeding of the gums)
- Review of home oral care
- Scaling and root planning as needed
- Polishing of the teeth, as needed
- Gums and pocket irrigation with medicine, as needed
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Many insurance plans pay for periodontal maintenance twice a year, even though most patients require appointments four times a year. Remember that insurance plans limit the number of exams, cleanings, and periodontal maintenance appointments that they will cover because these are the types of treatments that many people need to have frequently. The good news is that any amount paid reduces what you have to pay out of your own pocket. It helps!
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| Your insurance plan can help you pay for the treatment that you need, however, it was never designed to pay for everything. Most plans typically pay a minimum regardless of what you might need as an individual. It is a mistake to let benefits be your sole consideration when you make decisions about your dental health. People who have lost teeth often say that they would pay any amount of money to get them back. Your teeth, smile, attractiveness, ability to chew and enjoy food, and general sense of well being are dependent on your dental health. It is worth the extra time and expense to keep your teeth for a lifetime. |
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