Q: I’ll be going to the dentist in a few weeks after a long hiatus and I’m preparing myself mentally as to what he will say. I’ve been doing my own research on calculus/tartar. I know by now that I will be looking forward to root planing and ultrasonic scaling on at least 4 teeth as I can see a tartar build up with my naked eye. Does it take long for a dentist to remove calculus with their special tools? For one tooth, will it be a 5 minute job to remove the tartar/plaque or is it more like 15 minutes? How strong is this calculus material? Thank you for your time on behalf a nervous patient.
A: It is really difficult to quantify the time it takes to remove calculus from each tooth. There are so many factors including location, severity, disease present, tissue tone, tissue height, patient compliance, etc. My recommendation: Locate a very experienced periodontist that has great reviews and is gentle with his/her patients. It sounds to me like you need a caring and patient doctor to explain what is going on so there will not be any surprises. You will then establish trust and feel comfortable that your care will be painless and you can just relax and get the necessary treatment done.
Best of Luck