Services
Scaling and Root Planing
We gently clean below the gumline to clear deep buildup, calm gum disease, and protect your smile.
Why choose us
Benefits of Scaling and Root Planing
Stops Gum Disease Early
We clear away hardened tartar and bacteria below the gumline before gum disease can progress.
Helps Save Teeth
Treating infected pockets early protects the bone and tissue that hold your teeth in place.
Comfort Comes First
Blankets, warm towels, neck pillows, headphones and Netflix are all part of our comfort menu.
Fresher, Healthier Mouth
Removing bacteria beneath the gums helps calm bleeding, tenderness and persistent bad breath.
Affordable For Everyone
We accept most PPO plans, self-pay, CareCredit financing and our in-house membership plan.
You come in for what you assume will be a routine cleaning. Your gums have been bleeding a little when you brush, and there's a taste in your mouth that doesn't go away no matter how often you rinse. Our hygienist measures the spaces between your gums and teeth, we take a look at your X-rays, and the picture becomes clear: bacteria and hardened tartar have worked their way below the gumline, and a standard cleaning won't reach it. That's the moment scaling and root planing enters the conversation — a deeper, more thorough cleaning designed to treat gum disease rather than simply polish around it.
Scaling and root planing is often called a "deep cleaning," and the name is accurate as far as it goes. Scaling removes plaque, tartar and bacterial buildup from the tooth surfaces above and below the gumline, reaching into the pockets that form when gum tissue pulls away from the tooth. Root planing then smooths the root surfaces so that the gum tissue has a clean, healthy surface to reattach to and so that bacteria have fewer rough spots to cling to.
The difference between this and a routine cleaning comes down to depth. A regular cleaning maintains gums that are already healthy. Scaling and root planing is a treatment for gums that are already inflamed or infected — the stage where you may notice bleeding, tenderness, persistent bad breath, gums that look red or puffy, or teeth that feel slightly loose. We treat patients of all ages here, and gum disease shows up across that whole range: adults who have gone a few years between cleanings, patients managing health conditions that make gums more vulnerable, and people who simply have deeper pockets than average and need extra help keeping them clean.
Most of the time, we complete scaling and root planing over one or two visits, often treating one side or one quadrant of the mouth at a time so you're comfortable and not numb everywhere at once. We use local anesthetic so the area is fully numb before we begin, and our comfort menu is available throughout — a blanket, a neck pillow, warm towels, headphones and Netflix if you'd rather be somewhere else mentally while we work. Comfort is a genuine priority for our team, not an afterthought.
Patients often ask what they should know going in. A few honest points:
- Numbness means the appointment itself should not hurt; soreness afterward is usually mild and short-lived
- Your gums may feel tender and teeth may be temporarily sensitive to hot and cold
- Some bleeding when you brush in the first day or two is normal as tissue begins to heal
- This is a treatment, not a one-time fix — gum health depends on what happens after
- We'll schedule a follow-up to re-measure your gums and see how the tissue has responded
Aftercare and What Results Look Like
In the days following treatment, we recommend soft foods, gentle but consistent brushing, and warm salt-water rinses to soothe the tissue. Flossing matters more now, not less — the goal is to keep the newly cleaned pockets free of fresh buildup while the gums tighten back against the roots.
Over the following weeks, many patients notice their gums look less red and bleed less when brushing, and that lingering bad breath improves. At your follow-up visit, we re-measure pocket depths to see how things are progressing. From there, most patients move onto periodontal maintenance — cleanings on a more frequent schedule than the standard twice a year, because gums that have had disease need closer watching. Our hygienists handle that ongoing care, and because we're a multi-doctor practice offering everything from fillings to gum grafting and crown lengthening, any further treatment you need can stay right here with people who already know your history.
Paying for Treatment at Our Woodhaven Office
We accept all major PPO insurance plans and offer a complimentary check of your benefits, so you'll know what's covered before you commit. We also welcome self-pay patients and accept cash, checks, Visa, Mastercard and American Express.
If you don't have insurance, our in-house membership plan is $199 a year for adults and $99 for patients 17 and under. It covers exams, X-rays, two cleanings and two fluoride treatments a year at 100%, with 20% to 50% off other treatment — no deductibles, no annual maximum, no waiting period and no pre-authorizations. CareCredit financing is available as well for patients who prefer to spread payments out.
Let's Take a Look
If your gums bleed, feel sore, or you've been told you have pockets that need attention, we'd be glad to see you at 22500 Allen Rd. in Woodhaven. We welcome patients from Trenton, Riverview and Flat Rock, we offer a complimentary consultation, and se habla español. Call us to schedule — the sooner we look, the more options you have.
The process
What to expect
- 1
Exam And Evaluation
We examine your gums, measure pocket depths and take X-rays to see how far gum disease has spread.
- 2
Deep Cleaning Visit
Our team gently scales away tartar and smooths the root surfaces so your gums can reattach.
- 3
Periodontal Maintenance
We schedule follow-up cleanings and check your gum health regularly to keep the infection from returning.