ULTRA SONIC SCALING AND TOOTH POLISHING

ULTRA SONIC SCALING AND TOOTH POLISHING 

Scaling, the process of removing plaque and tartar from teeth, is an important step in the hygienist’s teeth cleaning procedure that comes before polishing. Those of you that have seen our new hygienist, Amanda-jane, may have already noticed she favours the use of ultrasonic teeth cleaning. But why? While manual teeth scaling with a handheld scraping instrument was standard in the past, modern dentists and hygienists are increasingly using ultrasonic scaling devices instead. These new tools work by using ultrasonic vibrations to knock plaque and tartar off and away from the teeth. Here is a look at how these options compare to each other.

Ultrasonic Teeth Cleaning

Research has shown that ultrasonic scaling instruments are at least as effective as manual scalers at removing tartar from tooth surfaces, including from within gum pockets that are shallow. However, where ultrasonic instruments really shine is in the clearing of deposits from deeper pockets. The tips of these tools are small, allowing them to easily reach areas where manual tools have more trouble. Furthermore, the coolant sprayed by ultrasonic scalers actually adds to the dislodging of accumulated plaque and tartar. At the same time, ultrasonic scaling tools also introduce oxygen bubbles into these deeper pockets which disrupt the oxygen hating bacteria which thrive deep within.