Scaling and root planning is one of the most effective, non-surgical ways to treat periodontal disease before it becomes severe. Scaling and root planning cleans between the gums and the teeth down to the roots.

Scaling is basically the process of removing dental tartar from the surfaces of the teeth. Root planning is the process of smoothing out the root surfaces and removing any infected tooth structure. If you have gum disease or gum pocketing, the gum pockets around the teeth will have deepened, thereby allowing tartar deposits to form under the gum line. A careful cleaning of the root surfaces to remove plaque and calculus (tartar) from deep periodontal pockets and smoothing the tooth root to remove bacterial toxins will help ensure that your gum disease is controlled.