Scale and root planing costs
The average cost for a dental newark scaling and root planing procedure is $200-$300, though the costs can vary widely depending on multiple factors. The two main types of dental scaling and root planing procedures are therapeutic and preventative, and the “dental deep cleaning” procedure can either be performed by a general dentist or by a periodontist; all of these factors affect cost. Additionally, the number of teeth per quadrant affects cost, as do any necessary dental exams, x-rays, or related treatments. Considering all these factors, preventative dental deep cleaning costs $200-$300, while therapeutic dental scaling and root planing averages closer to $200. Your dentist will determine whether your dental deep cleaning treatment is preventative or therapeutic by assessing the extent of any existing gum disease. If your gums are moderately to severely inflamed in more than 30% of your mouth, your dental scaling and root planing procedure cannot be considered preventative and will be therapeutic.
The best way to avoid paying for a dental scaling and root planing procedure is to practice good oral hygiene at home, including brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice daily and flossing daily, and to schedule regular dental check-ups and professional cleanings. Dentists recommend professional cleanings every six months. If it has been a few years since your last professional cleaning, you may benefit tremendously from a dental scaling and root planing procedure. Your dentist can conduct a thorough dental examination to determine whether you might benefit from a dental deep cleaning. A dental examination ranges in initial cost from $50 to $250. This examination may also have associated costs, depending on the condition of the teeth and gums. In some cases, plaque and tartar build up on the teeth to such an extent that the dentist must perform an initial full-mouth debridement to be able to determine the extent of decay and gum disease. This full-mouth debridement is a preliminary cleaning, removing the bulk of tartar, and ranges in cost from $150 to $300. Your dentist may also use dental irrigation techniques to clean out the mouth, which adds another $10 to $150 to your examination costs, and if your gums need to heal before a precise dental deep cleaning can be performed, you may also need to have your gums treated with an antimicrobial agent, which ranges in price from $40 to $170. The dentist will also need to review x-rays to determine the extent of any gum disease and potential decay; x-rays range widely in price, from $35 for a localized x-ray, to $300 for a full panoramic x-ray. As you can see, these procedures can accumulate and add up, and the best way to avoid paying such high costs is to maintain your oral health and hygiene with regular, diligent home care and professional dental cleanings every 6 months. This regular maintenance will save you money in the long run.
Dental insurance may cover about half of the cost of dental scaling and root planing, and they may only cover the procedure periodically, usually once every two years. In cases of significant inflammation of the gums, you should expect to have a complete dental scaling and root planing procedure twice a year. While these may be covered in some cases, it’s important to check your dental insurance policy before beginning any dental treatment. Some insurance policies will cover dental scaling and root planing procedures if they are deemed medically necessary, through x-rays and other diagnostic measures. You may also save money with a dental discount plan, which may involve a monthly fee but which will result in an overall lower total cost. Some patients seek treatment at dental schools; while this is a great way to save, the procedure may take an exceptionally long time, as dental students aren’t usually as efficient and each step must be graded. Regardless of where you seek treatment, dental scaling and root planing are successful ways to treat gum disease, but the most affordable treatment for gum disease is prevention.
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