Cleanings and exams
A cleaning removes plaque and hardened tartar from your teeth and from just under the gum line. An exam is the dentist looking at your teeth, gums and bite and telling you what they see. Both are for anyone who wants to keep their teeth, including people who haven't been in years or whose last visit went badly.
What happens
Plan on about an hour. It can be split into two shorter visits.
- 01
Step 1: Sit and talk
You stay upright while we go over the plan. We show you the mirror and the scaler.
- 02
Step 2: The exam
The dentist checks your teeth, gums and bite and tells you what they find.
- 03
Step 3: The cleaning
Hand tools and an ultrasonic scaler remove buildup. The scaler hums and sprays cool water, and suction runs beside it.
- 04
Step 4: X-rays, if needed
The dentist decides, and says why. We show you the sensor first.
Comfort, choices and care
Comfort
A routine cleaning rarely needs numbing. A numbing gel can help tender gums. We can use the hand scaler alone for part of it, take breaks on a raised hand, and stop the visit and finish another day.
If you wait
Plaque that stays on your teeth hardens into tartar, which brushing can't remove, and gums that bleed can get worse over time. You can also choose to come less often or skip X-rays; the dentist will tell you what they would watch for.
Risks and after-care
Gums may be sore or bleed a little for a day, and teeth can feel sensitive to cold. Rinse with warm salt water. Call us if soreness lasts more than a few days or you notice swelling.
How it's billed
We send you a written estimate before the visit, and a receipt after if you pay yourself. Plan members and insured patients are billed as the fees page describes.
How fees work
Questions about cleanings and exams
How often should I come in?
The dentist decides from your exam. Some people come twice a year, some more often, some less.
Do I need X-rays?
Only when the dentist needs them to see something they can't see otherwise. They tell you why before they're taken.
What is a deep cleaning?
A longer cleaning of the roots of the teeth under the gums, usually over two visits, for gums that have pulled away. The dentist will show you why they suggest it.
Provided by general dentists
Dr. Concepcion Cisneros, DDS, and Dr. Dominique Hubbard, DMD, general dentists licensed in New York.