How Much Does Dental Cleaning Cost?
Regular dental cleanings greenville sc are an important part of maintaining good oral health. Keeping teeth clean and free from plaque and tartar is especially important in terms of staving of gum disease, which is a common but very preventable malady in adults over the age of 40. Dental insurance generally pays for the cost of a standard dental cleaning along with a dental exam twice a year (this also usually covers the cost of X-rays once a year, as well), but in some cases, either more thorough or more frequent cleanings are required, which can incur out-of-pocket charges.
Regular Cleanings
Regular dental cleanings are recommended every six months, at which time your dental hygienist will do a thorough cleaning of your teeth. He or she will use special instruments that facilitate the removal of built-up plaque and tartar both above and below the gumline – this is something that your daily brushing is not able to do, which is why these cleanings are so essential.
During these regular visits, your dentist will typically do an exam to check for cavities or other concerns that may have arisen since your last visit. X-rays are usually only necessary once a year. The cost for this regular visit can be anywhere from $100-300, depending on typical rates in your area as well as the inclusion of occasional services such as X-rays.
Extra cleanings
If your dentist finds evidence of the beginnings of gum disease, also referred to as gingivitis at this stage, she or he might recommend more frequent cleanings. Instead of every six months, your dentist might ask you to come in form cleanings very 3-4 months. These extra cleanings are usually not covered for by your insurance, which means that these must be paid for out of pocket. The usual cost of a simple cleaning can range from $75-200. While this may seem expensive, these extra cleanings are typically not necessary long-term. More importantly, though, they can also help fend off the progression of gum disease from gingivitis into the more threatening forms of periodontitis or advanced periodontitis, which can eventually result in bone and teeth loss. Given what a patient is able to prevent by a few extra cleanings, the upfront cost of preventing gum disease is well worth the small cost of a few extra cleanings.
Deep cleanings
If gum disease has begun to progress or the extent of plaque and tartar build-up is too much to manage during the course of a routine cleaning, it may be necessary to undergo more extensive cleaning. Typically, this means scaling and root planing, which are forms of targeted, deep cleanings during which more established patches of plaque and tartar are removed from the teeth below the gums as well as above. Because scaling and root planning are usually done in one part of the mouth at a time, two to four office visits are usually required. Due to the use of local anesthetic in combination with the cleaning process, these visits usually $100-450 per quadrant and anywhere from $500-4000 for the scaling and planing of an entire mouth. Higher costs are typically incurred when antibiotic injections and debridement is required.