Dental Cleaning & Adult Checkup

Teeth Cleaning in NYC

Studies show patients consistent with dental teeth cleaning and adult dental checkup are more likely to have healthier bone and gums and will keep their teeth considerably longer. Many conditions can be diagnosed during your regular checkup and cleaning visits. Early detection and treatment will help you avoid costly and potentially serious dental problems in the future. Poor oral hygiene can have serious implications on your cardiovascular well-being and general health.

Poor oral health can impair your ability to eat well and digest your food, leading to serious nutritional and systemic problems. Appearance and self-esteem are important factors in having a successful personal life and career. A beautiful and healthy smile will help you achieve your goals and desires.

This is the first dental practice I look forward to going to. The front desk staff, hygienists and dentists are some of the friendliest and best in Manhattan. I always look forward to my teeth cleanings and if I need work done, I know I’m in great care. Also, Dr. Ahh did my Invisalign and I’ve never been more proud to smile!

– Erin S.

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What to Expect During the Hygiene Visit?

During your first adult dental checkup and teeth cleaning visit, our hygienist will review and assess your health history to determine if there are any existing medical conditions that could impact your treatment. At each subsequent visit, they assess your oral health and note any changes.

Our patients prefer being treated by the same dentist. As for hygiene appointments, we support the same. Having the same professionals work with you regularly develops rapport and continuity of dental care and knowledge of individual needs of each patient.

What Does A Routine Dental Teeth Cleaning in New York Involve?

Dental cleaning procedure comprises several steps.

First, the dental hygienist will identify areas of tartar and teeth plaque. Plaque is a soft film covering your teeth that can be removed by proper brushing, tartar or calculus is hardened plaque that can be eliminated only with the help of dental instruments.

After that, the hygienist will remove obvious deposits of calculus using our Ultrasonic Cavitron Machine, an ultrasonic scaler that sprays water. The next part of the dental cleaning is performed using manual instruments called scalers. The hygienists will clean all the surfaces of your teeth — even the tiny spaces between teeth and along the gum line where plaque and tartar form and gum disease-causing bacteria gather.

The last part of dental teeth cleaning is performed using prophy paste. Prophy paste has a coarse quality that dissolves into the finer texture as it removes the remainder of the plaque from your teeth. This is the part patients like best, for it is here that one’s teeth become bright, shiny and smooth.

As each tooth gets cleaned, the hygienist also pays attention to areas where tooth plaque and tartar have accumulated. These areas indicate your need to use better brushing and flossing techniques to keep teeth and gums healthy between visits. Once the dental teeth cleaning is complete, the hygienist will review these areas with you and provide guidance to help you correct your brushing technique so you can maintain proper oral hygiene.

Dental Cleaning Cost In NYC

We offer a New Patient Package that includes teeth cleaning, a comprehensive exam, and a set of digital xrays (panoramic x-ray, 4 bitewings, 2 pas). The package costs $325, vs. $435 if done individually. If you are a healthy patient who requires no dental treatments, you can book only dental cleanings for your six months recalls. The cost for teeth cleaning is $144.

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To provide proper dental care to our patients and to establish a baseline of oral health of the new patient, the first visit consists of Full Mouth Digital X-rays (with Panoramic X-ray), comprehensive dental exam, oral cancer screening, nutritional counseling, oral hygiene instructions, and dental cleaning. For healthy patients, we recommend returning for an adult recall visit every 6 months. Recall visit typically includes check up & cleaning. We recommend having 4 bitewing xrays once a year.

Does My Insurance Pay For Teeth Cleaning?

Dental cleaning is a preventive service. If done regularly, it may prevent the development of periodontal disease and the formation of cavities. Dental cleaning, exam, and X-rays are some of the least expensive dental treatments. Thus it is cheaper for insurance companies to pay for regular recall visits vs. treatment of dental disease. The fee for teeth cleaning is determined by the insurance contract (if a dentist is in-network) and will vary between insurance companies.
Dental cleaning out-of-pocket cost with insurance depends on the individual’s coverage. The percentage of the coverage may vary typically between 100% & 80%.
Most PPO insurance plans cover cleanings twice in a calendar or policy year or every six months as long as the annual maximum is not used up.
Some plans may apply a deductible toward diagnostic and preventive services. However, lately, there is also a positive trend between some insurance companies offering 3 or even 4 cleanings a year, and sometimes they are even excluded from the annual maximum.

At 209 NYC Dental, we ask patients to provide us with their dental insurance information in advance so we may give you the most accurate out-of-pocket estimate.

How Long Does A Dental Teeth Cleaning Take?

A new patient visit usually lasts 1 hour to 1 hour 15 min. A recall appointment for an existing patient is 45 min long.

Do I Need To Take An Antibiotic Before Dental Cleaning?

Generally, dental cleaning and other dental procedures do not require premedication with antibiotics unless the patient has had a recent surgery where a prosthesis or heart valve was placed. The final determination in these matters is made by the patient’s physician.

Why Are There Different Types Of Dental Cleanings?

There is only one dental procedure that is a dental cleaning, Prophylaxis. All other procedures though may be referred to as cleanings are periodontal treatments. The reason they are nicknamed as “cleanings” is that the treatment process resembles regular dental teeth cleaning that is familiar to us. Please read on to learn what these treatments entail.

PROPHYLAXIS is a routine dental teeth cleaning performed, every 6 months, by a hygienist or a dentist. This type of dental cleaning is provided to healthy patients to remove the plaque and tartar accumulated above the gum line.

FULL MOUTH DEBRIDEMENT is a “pre-cleaning” procedure. It is conducted ONLY on the patients with very severe calculus build up, nearly overgrowing the teeth and gums. This procedure is done prior to the exam and may require additional dental cleaning and/or periodontal treatment.

DENTAL DEEP CLEANING is a periodontal procedure called Scaling and Root Planing. It is prescribed to treat either early stages of gum disease or as a preliminary treatment prior to the surgical treatment for the patients with more severe gum conditions. It is performed either by our dental hygienist or our periodontist. The goal is to reach below the gum line and remove tartar and bacteria that collect on or near the roots. You may also need antibiotics to help kill hard-to-reach bacteria. To find out more about periodontal disease and its treatment check out Periodontics section.

PERIO MAINTENANCE is a periodontal cleaning, that can be done either by a dental hygienist or a periodontist. Periodontal maintenance is prescribed instead of prophylaxis dental cleaning to the patients with the history of any type of gum disease. Unlike regular dental teeth cleaning, the frequency of perio maintenance varies. Depending on the severity of the gum disease, the provider will decide if the patient should get treatment every 3 or 4 months.

How Often Do I Need To Have A Dental Cleaning?

Health patients should have teeth cleaned every six months to help prevent tooth decay and gum disease, the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Between cleanings, be sure to brush and floss regularly and using the correct technique, and try to avoid sugary snacks, which can cause bacteria to multiply. Patients with periodontal disease are recommended to undergo deep cleaning first and then come back for periodontal maintenance procedure every 3 to 4 months.

Will Teeth Cleaning Help Treat Gum Disease?

If you have mild, early gum disease, or gingivitis, having your periodontal maintenance may be enough to prevent the disease from progressing. You will be asked to come back 3-4 times a year to ensure the procedure is effective in preventing the disease progression.

What Questions Do I Ask During My Adult Dental Checkup & Teeth Cleaning Visit?

• Do I have gum disease?
• How deep are my pockets?
• Are there any signs of gum recession?
• Am I over-brushing?
• Do I grind my teeth?
• Can I see a demonstration of proper tooth brushing technique & flossing?

Why Do I Need To Have A Checkup And X-rays On My First Visit?

Being the oldest continuing practice in New York State with over a century of experience under our belts 209 NYC Dental has established guidelines to provide the best dental care to our patients. Once you step through the door of our office, we take responsibility for your well-being. Just getting a dental cleaning may seem like a cost-effective dental routine. However, not having x-ray vision neither our hygienists nor our doctors can guarantee your dental health. The old filling that appears sound may have an underlying decay that cannot always be detected just by looking at the tooth. Periapical pathology forming at the tip of the tooth root that might have been traumatized during a ballgame cannot be diagnosed and will not be discovered till the nerve dies and you may end up with a root canal treatment or even worse an extraction. Thus, the policy of having x-rays & comprehensive dental exam on your first visit was established so we could provide the best dental care for our patients.

How To Prevent Tooth Decay?

• Brush twice a day, and floss at least once a day before going to sleep.
• Use additional cleaning supplements as recommended by your dentist.
• Have dental teeth cleaning and adult checkups, every 6 months.
• Eat a healthy diet, low in sugars and acidic foods.
• Fluoride treatments help make teeth more resistant to decay.
• Sealants, applied to children’s teeth, help prevent tooth decay in deep grooves and pits

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Teeth Cleaning in Manhattan

Home Routine

Brushing

Use a toothbrush with soft bristles to ensure that your brushing is not abrasive to your teeth. Use small brush head. This will ensure that you get better access even to the back teeth. As soon as the bristles wear down or fray, replace your toothbrush with a new one.

Use a PEA size of fluoride toothpaste, that’s all you need. Having more toothpaste doesn’t mean that you will clean your teeth better. A good toothbrush will.

While brushing your teeth hold to the toothbrush at 45 degrees angle and move it in a circular motion without rushing, covering all areas between teeth and the surface of each tooth.  Good brushing lasts two minutes. Brush up on the lower teeth, down on the upper teeth, and the outside, inside, and chewing surface of all your front and back teeth. Brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth before you rinse.

Do not swallow any toothpaste; rinse your mouth thoroughly with water after you finish brushing.

It is important to thoroughly floss and brush daily for optimal oral hygiene.

Flossing

Due to the tight spaces or crowding the toothbrush cannot clean out all the food particles stuck between the teeth. Therefore flossing is an essential step in home care. Dental floss is used to reach below the gum line and clean between teeth. It is very important to floss between your teeth daily.

Pull a small quantity of floss from the dispenser. Wrap the ends of the floss tightly around your second fingers. Guide the floss between each tooth from top to the gum line, pulling out any food particles or plaque, left between your teeth. If you have dental restorations like crowns, veneers or bridges, slide the floss out instead pulling it upwards (flossing bottom teeth), downwards (flossing top teeth). Unwrap clean floss from around your fingers as you go, so that you have used the floss from beginning to end when you finish. Floss between all of your teeth. Floss daily.

For some patients, we recommend adjuncts to manual brushing and flossing. We endorse alcohol-free fluoride mouth washes and the use of power toothbrushes as certain brands are much gentler than handheld brushes and are much more effective in removing plaque.

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