HOW MUCH DOES A DENTAL CLEANING COST?

Routine dental cleaning mobile al are an important first step to preventing future dental problems and maintaining optimal oral health. You know you are supposed to go to the dentist every 6 months for a routine dental cleaning, but how do you budget for this added expensive twice a year? This is a great question. A good place to start is to get a good understanding of how much a typical dental cleaning will cost.

A Routine Dental Cleaning

In most cases, a routine dental clinic visit includes a comprehensive oral exam, a review and discussion of oral hygiene habits, and a professional dental cleaning. Every so often, a routine dental visit may also include x-rays of your teeth and jawbone. Here are the typical steps involved in a routine dental cleaning:

  1. First, your dentist, or the dental hygienist, will work to remove debris, calculus, and plaque from the gum line of your teeth and between your teeth. This step is usually completed using an ultrasonic scaler and or a manual hand scaler. The ultrasonic scaler works by vibrating at low frequency and uses air pressure to remove plaque build-up. This plaque removal step is called scaling.
  2. After the scaling is complete, the next step is adding polish to the teeth. Using a special polishing paste and another automatic handheld device each tooth will be individually polished.
  3. The last step is to floss the teeth with dental floss and rinse.

Throughout the experience if you feel any discomfort or pain you should let your dentist know. This is a good opportunity to make sure all issues are identified and also to learn how you can improve and enhance your oral health care at home.

The Cost of a Dental Cleaning

The purpose of keeping regular dental visits scheduled with professional cleanings is to prevent gum disease and tooth decay. The cost of these cleanings vary, but here is what you can expect to pay:

  • A regular professional dental cleaning can range between $75-200. This rate depends on the dental office, the experience and training of your dentist and their staff, and the local rates in your community. Based on these factors the cleaning cost usually averages out to around $125.
  • If the visit also includes x-rays the costs will go up. Needing to get x-rays can increase the cost of the visit by $100-200. On average, a dental visit with x-rays and a professional cleaning will cost about $200.
  • Dental Insurance coverage: most insurance plans cover 100% of the costs of at least one cleaning a year and is most cases two. The 100% may be budgeted to cover an average cleaning, so if you chose a dentist that is more expensive, this budgeted price may not fully cover your dentist’s costs.
  • Deep cleaning: If you have not been to the dentist for a long period of time and they recommend a more extensive deep clean, you can expect to pay a bit more. A deep cleaning procedure can range between $500-4,000 depending on the amount of time and work that is needed. Many insurance policies will cover some or all of a deep cleaning procedure if it is needed.

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