Tartar Removal – Scaling

Tartar may be a big threat to oral health.
It causes inflammation of the gums (bleeding, swelling, redness) which, if not treated, may result in periodontitis.
Periodontitis is already a serious condition that involves symptoms such as bone loss, recession of gingival margin, teeth wobbliness and loss.
The most frequent cause of tartar formation is insufficient hygiene. Dental plaque – the buildup of food waste not properly removed by brushing or flossing, bacteria and bacteria metabolism products begin to mineralise just several dozens of hours after teeth brushing.
When the tartar has already hardened, it cannot be removed by brushing with a toothbrush or flossing with dental floss.
At that time, the only way is an in-office, professional teeth cleaning with ultrasound.
Scaling is an almost painless procedure performed by a doctor or hygienist. A special water-cooled tip invisibly vibrates due to ultrasound and breaks up the tartar without damaging tooth enamel.
After the scaling procedure, the teeth are polished using brushes, rubber bands and tooth-polishing pastes. Polishing can also partially remove the residue, i.e. discolouration caused by coffee, tea, or cigarettes, although the most effective method for its removal is sandblasting.

Sandblasting

It is a procedure which involves removal of residues from the surface of teeth, particularly the residues that cannot be removed with a scaler – dark discolouration caused by coffee, tea, or cigarettes. Sandblasting machine allows us to perfectly clean interdental spaces – the areas unreachable with any other tool. Using tremendous pressure, the sandblasting machine shoots out the water containing abrasive particles, and this stream is directed specifically at the discoloured tooth surfaces by a doctor or hygienist.

Sandblasting procedure is completely painless and safe. After the procedure, additional tooth polishing is recommended along with, most importantly, varnishing of the teeth with a fluoride layer, as it prevents tooth decay and hypersensitivity.

Pit and Fissure Sealing

Sealants are applied first of all to the sixth teeth (first permanent molars), and sometimes also to the second molars, premolars, lateral incisors. These teeth contain fissures and grooves which, because of their structure, are very difficult and sometimes impossible to clean with a toothbrush, but at the same time wide enough to allow bacteria to enter and start damaging the tooth by causing caries. PIT AND FISSURE SEALING 1
It is therefore recommended to apply dental sealants approx. 6 months after the tooth has erupted, before the carious process begins. Tooth decay must first be treated even in its early stages.

During the treatment, a doctor first cleans the tooth with a brush and oxygenated water, dries the tooth, and applies a special blue gel that improves sealant retention. The gel is applied for approx. 60 seconds. After this time, the gel is rinsed off, the tooth is dried again, and a semi-fluid sealant is applied which hardens when exposed to dental curing light.

The life of the sealant depends on several factors. In favourable conditions, it can last even for a few years. The condition of the sealant should be checked every 6 months. Sealing reduces the risk of tooth decay by up to 90%.

Fluoride Treatment (Varnishing)

Fluoride treatment is a dental treatment that significantly reduces the risk of tooth decay development.

Fluoride builds in the tooth enamel, making teeth harder and more resistant to tooth decay. It can also stimulate remineralisation of initial carious lesions and reduce sensitivity. It is used during orthodontic treatment and after preparation of teeth for a crown.

It is used as a component of toothpastes, but its concentration in professional fluoride treatment products is much higher. Such products may take the form of varnishes, foams, or gels. Due to the mentioned high concentration, it is used only in dental offices.

FLUORIDE TREATMENT (VARNISHING) 2 To ensure your teeth stay healthy, you should use fluoride treatments twice a year. In special cases, it is used more often, but never more than four times a year. Of course, the teeth must first be cleaned and freed of tartar and residue.

Teeth varnishing treatment takes little time – approx. 10 minutes. First, the teeth are cleaned with a brush, rinsed, and dried. Next, the varnish is applied with a brush or in the form of a special foam applied on fluoride treatment spoons.

On the teeth, the varnish forms a transparent film containing fluoride which builds in the tooth enamel. This takes more than ten, or several dozens of hours. After the treatment, the patient must not eat or drink anything for an hour.

Both permanent and deciduous teeth can be varnished.