Medical expert of the article
New publications
Removal of tartar with ultrasound
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Now it is difficult to find a person who has never resorted to a dentist for help in his life. Dental health depends on many factors. A huge role is played by heredity, ecology, a healthy balanced diet and the presence of bad habits. But these are all global problems, which are difficult to cope immediately. Are there universal methods of maintaining dental health? Yes, there is such a way! This is the proper hygiene of the oral cavity and the timely removal of hardened plaque. In this article, we will talk about the removal of calculus with ultrasound.
Indications for removal of calculus with ultrasound
With insufficient or incorrect oral hygiene, the soft coating begins to harden, turning into a kind of "carapace" of the tooth, which does not allow nutrients to penetrate into the tooth enamel, and also mechanically pulls out the soft part of the gum, while revealing the root of the tooth. All this leads to shakiness, and as a consequence to loss of healthy teeth. In addition, the presence of solid deposits on the teeth disrupt the acid-base balance in the mouth, which leads to an increased likelihood of caries formation, as well as unpleasant odor from the mouth. In order to avoid such a negative effect, it is necessary to remove solid deposits in a timely manner. The ideal way is to remove hard plaque with ultrasound. Why? Because thanks to the newest technologies, this procedure has become practically painless, and the cost of conducting it is not so great. How does this procedure go? First, before it is performed, the dentist carefully examines the patient's mouth to see if there is any damage to the teeth, tooth decay, gum disease, if necessary, then prescribes an additional X-ray examination, and then makes a conclusion about the possibility of performing the procedure. The removal of tartar itself is carried out by a special apparatus that is equipped with a scaling attachment that generates high-frequency ultrasonic oscillations of a different range. Scaler looks like a L-shaped curved wire, refined at the end. When the scaler is exposed to the tartar, the latter bounces off the enamel of the tooth without damaging it. Some dentists before the procedure for convenience handle the surface of the teeth with a special fluorescent solution that stains solid deposits in bright blue, crimson or green. Most often, the procedure for removing tartar with ultrasound is absolutely painless, but patients with sensitive gums mark slight discomfort. If you are so afraid of pain, then this procedure can be performed with local anesthesia.
Advantages of ultrasonic tartar removal
Unlike its predecessor, the manual cleaning of tartar with a hook that seems "brutal", the removal of solid deposits by the ultrasonic method has many advantages. Earlier, after visiting the dentist and so memorable procedure for removing hardened plaque, the patient for a long time could not gather with the strength of mind to repeatedly come to this "Konoval". Thanks to a new technique for cleaning tartar with ultrasound, the procedure has become virtually painless, more gentle to the surface of the teeth and less traumatic for the gums. With this procedure, it became possible without special problems to remove not only the supragingival, but also the subgingival stone, the removal of which had previously turned into real torture. As usual, after the procedure for removing hardened plaque by ultrasound, special cleaning of the teeth is carried out with the help of the Air Flow system, which gives the teeth a lighter shade and prevents the subsequent rapid hardening of the soft plaque. Another important positive aspect of the removal of calculus with ultrasound is its relatively low cost and availability. This procedure is carried out in most large dental clinics, as well as in all private dental offices.
[3]
Disadvantages of ultrasonic tartar removal
The method of ultrasonic removal of solid deposits has practically no disadvantages. Of minor drawbacks, one can note slight discomfort when using a scaler, a small traumatic gum tissue, with the removal of the subgingival stone and the presence of some contraindications described above. In this case, the pain arising from the removal of solid deposits can be prevented by applying local anesthesia, having previously checked it for an allergic reaction.
Contraindications to the removal of calculus with ultrasound
Although the removal of calculus with ultrasound is quite simple procedure, but there are also contra-indications here. To begin with, it should be noted that this procedure should be started only with healthy or fully treated teeth. It is also not possible to remove hard plaque with inflammation of the oral mucosa and gums, the presence of ulcers, stomatitis. With care to the implementation of this procedure should be treated pregnant, as the process itself can cause great stress, which can adversely affect the development of the child. Also do not recommend cleaning ultrasound and children. It is completely contraindicated to remove hardened plaque when:
- the presence of pacemakers and implants in the patient (since it is not known how this or that device can react to ultrasound simulation);
- the presence of bracket systems and orthopedic structures (when exposed to them by ultrasound, they can weaken or even collapse);
- violation of the heart rate (removal of solid deposits - this is inevitably a psychological stress, so do not do this procedure for people with a weak heart);
- asthmatic attacks (the procedure can cause laryngospasm, which can lead to an attack of suffocation);
- severe forms of epilepsy (removal of tartar with ultrasound can provoke an attack);
- complicated forms of diabetes mellitus (in patients with this disease blood coagulability is disrupted, which can lead to prolonged bleeding and an increased likelihood of inflammation of the gums);
- infectious diseases (AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis);
- acute respiratory viral infection;
- presence of oncological diseases (with cancer diseases immunity is weakened, which can lead to a long recovery of the gums and a possible inflammatory process on them);
- violation of breathing through the nose.
The cost of the procedure for removing tartar with ultrasound
Today, removal of tartar with ultrasound provides the majority of modern dentistry. The cost of this procedure varies depending on the type of clinic and region. For example, residents of the city of Kiev in private clinics can pay for removal of tartar with ultrasound + cleaning Air Flow from 400 to 800 UAH, residents of other regions can use this procedure a little cheaper for only 250 - 500 UAH. If you want to save money, it is better to go to a good state dental clinic, where you will be cleansed from a hard raid for a more acceptable amount, but for this you will have to wait a turn.
Reviews after removal of tartar with ultrasound
After the procedure of ultrasonic tooth extraction, tooth enamel is easier to take fluoride and calcium in products and toothpaste, so this procedure should be done regularly, but not more than once every six months. The color of the enamel becomes lighter at least one tone, the odor from the mouth disappears, the probability of caries is less. It is noticed that after removal of a tooth firm deposit by means of ultrasound the probability of deposition of a new calcareous stone decreases.