Scale and Root Planing Cost

There is not a flat fee associated with the deep scaling of your teeth or the addition of root planing. There are many variables starting with the difference in each of us as patients. The extent of the procedure will change from patient to patient, the area of the country the procedure is being offered, and the amount of scaling necessary in your particular situation. It may not involve all your teeth. A range from deep scaling and root planing may fall between $400 and $4000. We’ll identify why the procedure Is common and necessary, the many contributing variables in a procedure and why the outcome is beneficial.

Why might You need Scaling and Root Planing

Somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% of American over the age of 35 have some level of gum disease. Scaling and root planing are the measures necessary to stop gum disease and giving your gums a chance to become healthy again. Anything we eat and drink contain bacteria. If left on the teeth a tacky film will bond to the teeth called plaque. The plaque allows the bacteria to attack the teeth with acids resulting in cavities. When allowed to build up under the gum line the plaque will infect the soft tissue of the gums. As the disease advances it can have very severe negative effects. Scaling and planing is the only way to remove that bacteria carrying plaque and reverse the process.

The Scaling and Root Planing Procedure

Regular professional teeth cleaning is the manual scaling of the surface of your teeth. This process is based on time and the amount of plaque to remove. The entire process may start with x-rays to determine the condition of your teeth beneath the gum line. Once deep cleaning is introduced you also will need a local anesthetic to minimize any pain and discomfort your gums will be subjected to. The anesthesia is an additional cost. If you request a nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, you will have another cost for this addition. Of course, if not all the teeth need deep cleaning the time and costs will reflect that. You may as an example have deep scaling on all your teeth but only root planing on four. If we run through those variables the initial exam may range from $50 -$200. X-rays might add anywhere from $25 to $250. The basic cleaning might cost $75 to $200. Scaling be another $200. Local anesthesia could add upwards to $300 per tooth, nitrous oxide another $50-$100 and finally antibiotic injections to speed up the healing of the gums another $90 per tooth. So, you can see it is truly case to case.  Your regular dentist may deep clean but introduce a periodontist to root plan. There are many variables.

The Benefits

As mentioned, this is the only way to combat gum disease. You can be proactive and follow industry guidelines. Please brush well twice a day and floss at least once a day. These two simple good habits go a long way in combating that never-ending attack of plaque. It will also be an investment in your own oral hygiene.

More on Scale & Root Planing : What are the Risks of Scale & Root planing?