We admit it: cleaning your teeth is not the most exciting subject. We know it’s not as much fun as talking about the last Packer or Badger football game, but it’s important. Not important like learning about invertebrates in biology (especially if you’ve never used that info again), but important for the health of your mouth and even your whole body.
It’s also important to know the type of cleaning you need for dental insurance purposes, so you are clear what kind of teeth cleaning is covered, how often those cleanings are needed, and any costs you may have to cover.
Regular preventative dental cleaning
The most common dental cleaning, called prophylaxis, is what most of us think of when we step into the dentist office. Prophylaxis is usually done on patients clear of symptoms of gingivitis, gum disease, or bone loss. When it comes to insurance, this is the kind of cleaning typically referred to and is usually covered twice a year (check your plan for details). Schedule a teeth cleaning twice a year, like your dentist recommends.
Root planing and scaling
If you are showing signs of bone and gum disease, your dentist typically recommends scheduling an appointment for a root planing and scaling. Root planing and scaling cleans your mouth from the top down to the roots. Root planing and scaling removes plaque, tarter, bacteria and diseased deposits from the mouth.
Periodontal maintenance
Periodontal maintenance is not a single dental appointment, but a series of dental cleanings and therapies. Because the goal of periodontal maintenance is to stem the progression of periodontal disease, these visits can be recommended and appointments scheduled as often as three months. Over the course of appointments, the cleaning and therapies clean out any bacteria, tarter, or plaque, and stem any gum disease symptoms. For these patients, periodontal maintenance appointments are vital to preventing tooth loss, sustaining bone structure, ridding your mouth of diseased tissue, and maintaining healthy gums. If your dentist recommends periodontal maintenance, you should check with your insurance for coverage details and keep on top of scheduling your next appointment.
