Prevention and Maintenance

For many people, a cleaning twice a year is all that is needed to keep on top of your dental hygiene. Here in Puerto Vallarta and area, a dental cleaning is a service that is very economical, and performing this twice a year will cost you less than you think, and save you a lot in the long run. For some patients who have periodontal conditions that require a bit more extensive maintenance, we have a periodontal division that offers several levels of periodontal cleaning, and deep root scaling when needed.

Cleaning and Polish

Cleaning and maintaining your teeth is primarily something you do at home, however there are usually buildups of tartar and plaque that we just can’t seem to get rid of ourselves. This is where you need the help of a cleaning by the dentist. Our cleaning treatment includes an ultrasonic cleaning with a special scaler, followed by a prophylaxis (polish) treatment. It’s important for most patients that your cleaning should be performed regularly, which for some means every year, and others every 6 months.

Cleaning by Periodontist

If you would like your regular cleaning performed by the periodontal specialist this can be arranged as well. The specialist can alert you to recurrences of problems you have had in the past if you have a history of periodontal disease, or more advanced gingivitis. Generally the cleaning will be the same, however, with the services of the specialist, the cost will be a tiny bit more than a regular cleaning with the dentist. (See table below) Read more about other periodontal services.

Deep Cleaning by Periodontist

When things have advanced to a more serious stage, you may need what is referred to as a “deep cleaning”. Sometimes there can be confusion surrounding this as some patients feel a deep cleaning means just a very good cleaning, however, the true meaning is that we have to scale deeper down the sides of the tooth. There is a great benefit in having this performed by a periodontist because if there are more serious underlying issues, they can be spotted early, and rather than just treat the symptom, it’s possible to focus on the cause. Read more about other periodontal services.

Cleaning Pricing

The basic cleaning is the price you see at the top of the list. As some patients will have needs that are different than others, we offer add-ons, or different cleanings with periodontists. It may only be a case where there is extra scaling required with the regular dentist, or,  perhaps your cleaning is more suited to be performed by a periodontist.

There are some very deep levels of cleaning that are not shown here, such as deep root scaling, or open periodontal surgery. Those types of services would be required only under very special circumstances, which your periodontist can explain in more detail should it ever be required.