Cleaning & Polishing

Saying goodbye to plaque and tartar.

a young couple hugging with bushes in the background after an extraordinary visit to crabtree dental in katy texasUltrasonic Scaler: During a dental cleaning your hygienist must remove plaque (bacteria) and tartar from your teeth through a process called scaling. Scaling is usually done with dental hand instruments. This is effective on most patients, but some patients have tartar that is tenacious and more difficult to remove. An ultrasonic scaler provides an easier and more efficient way for your hygienist to get rid of the tartar in your mouth. During an ultrasonic dental cleaning, your hygienist uses a handheld device to distribute ultrasonic vibrations that produce sound waves to break apart stubborn tartar. Although you won’t feel the vibrations or hear the sound waves, your hygienist will have significantly reduced the amount of tartar inside your mouth, and you’ll notice that your teeth feel cleaner. This kind of scaling isn’t necessary for all patients, but if you can benefit from it, your hygienist will most likely suggest including it in your cleaning regimen.

Prophy Jet: If you have visible stains on your teeth, removing them with the usual dental instruments won’t do the trick. The Prophy Jet is an alternative to the hand instruments dentists and hygienists have been using for years. This handheld device sprays high-pressured water mixed with baking soda which acts almost like a pumice stone to eliminate the staining on your teeth that is typically caused by coffee, tea, tobacco, and certain foods.

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