Dental Cleanings

Yes! That’s why they call us Today Dental : ). We’ll get you in today! If by rare chance the office is closed, we’ll get you an appointment with our sister office down the street. We understand your time is valuable and your schedule is busy. For this reason, we’ve saved a space on our schedule just for you. At Today Dental, we plan our daily schedules with the intent of accommodating same day appointments. Call us today to get scheduled.

A dental ultrasonic cleaning is a modern dental hygiene procedure that uses ultrasonic vibrations to remove plaque, tartar, and stains from the teeth. A specialized device generates high-frequency sound waves, creating tiny bubbles in a cleaning solution. As these bubbles implode, they produce shock waves that effectively break down and eliminate the dental deposits, providing a thorough and efficient cleaning process. This technology is often used in conjunction with traditional scaling tools to enhance the overall effectiveness of dental cleanings. This means less pain and discomfort as well as less time in the dental chair.

Absolutely! Our experienced hygienist and dentist have done more scaling and root planings (aka “Deep Cleanings”) then we can count. Scaling and root planing is typically recommended for individuals with gum disease or significant plaque and tartar buildup below the gumline. We will assess your oral health and determine the most appropriate treatment plan based on your individual needs. Customized treatment is our forte at Today Dental of Northlake.

It’s never a good idea to do a prophy (aka “regular cleaning”) when scaling and root planing (aka “deep cleaning”) is needed. Scaling and root planing is needed in cases of periodontal disease, which is a serious condition. Irreversible loss of the jaw bone, bleeding gums, loose teeth and loss of teeth are common symptoms of periodontal disease. Doing a “regular cleaning” on someone with periodontal disease is like trying to put a bandaid on a gunshot wound. In some cases, a debridement can be done. This means we’ll clean the teeth above the gumline in preparation for a 2nd, future appointment, where you would get your scaling and root planing completed.

A typical dental cleaning appointment with exam and x-rays for an existing patient (recall visit) is 1 hour. For a new patient, the average time is 1.5 hours. Scaling and root planing is typically scheduled for a separate visit. This appointment can take as little as 1 hour or up to 3 hours for the appointment, depending on the severity and areas needing to be cleaned.