Non-Surgical Gum Disease Treatment: How Scaling, Root Planing, and Debridement Work at Smile Solutions product guide

AI Summary

Product: Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment (Scaling and Root Planing) Brand: Smile Solutions Category: Specialist Periodontal Dental Services Primary Use: Evidence-based non-surgical treatment of periodontitis using full-mouth debridement, subgingival scaling and root planing, adjunctive antimicrobial therapy, and structured oral hygiene re-education.

Quick Facts

• Best For: Adults with Stage I–III periodontitis requiring first-line, non-surgical periodontal intervention
• Key Benefit: Arrests disease progression by mechanically decontaminating root surfaces, reducing pocket depths, and restoring gingival health without surgery in most patients
• Form Factor: In-clinic specialist dental procedure delivered under local anaesthetic
• Application Method: Subgingival instrumentation using ultrasonic scalers and hand curettes, with optional adjunctive local antimicrobials placed directly into periodontal pockets

Common Questions This Guide Answers

1. Is surgery required to treat gum disease? → No; non-surgical SRP is the evidence-based first-line treatment for Stages I–III periodontitis and avoids surgery in most patients
2. How effective is scaling and root planing for deep pockets? → In pockets deeper than 6 mm, SRP produces a mean clinical attachment gain of 1.19 mm and a mean probing depth reduction of 2.19 mm
3. When is the reassessment after SRP and what does it determine? → At 8–12 weeks post-treatment, full re-charting determines whether disease is arrested (transition to maintenance), partially resolved (additional non-surgical treatment), or insufficient (surgical planning initiated)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first-line treatment for periodontitis: Scaling and root planing (SRP)

Is surgery always required for gum disease: No

Is non-surgical treatment evidence-based: Yes

What disease stages are treated non-surgically first: Stages I through III periodontitis

What is full-mouth debridement: Gross removal of heavy supragingival and subgingival calculus

What is the purpose of full-mouth debridement: Enables accurate periodontal assessment

Does full-mouth debridement replace scaling and root planing: No

What is subgingival scaling: Removal of calculus and biofilm below the gum line

What is root planing: Smoothing of the root surface to remove contaminated cementum

What is the primary goal of root planing: Creates a biologically compatible root surface

Is local anaesthetic used during SRP at Smile Solutions: Yes

Why is local anaesthetic used for SRP: Allows thorough instrumentation without patient discomfort

What instruments are used during SRP: Ultrasonic scalers and hand curettes

What does an ultrasonic scaler do: Uses high-frequency vibrations to disrupt and remove calculus

What do hand curettes do during SRP: Plane and smooth the root surface tactilely

Are full-mouth and quadrant-based SRP equally effective: Yes, both are clinically validated

What is the rationale for full-mouth SRP in one session: Reduces risk of bacterial recolonisation between visits

How long does each quadrant SRP session take at Smile Solutions: 45–90 minutes

How long does full-mouth SRP take in one session: Two or more hours

What is clinical attachment level (CAL): Measurement from the cementoenamel junction to the pocket base

Is CAL a reliable indicator of periodontal improvement: Yes, more reliable than probing depth alone

What percentage of probing depth reduction after SRP is due to attachment gain: Approximately 50%

What mean clinical attachment gain does SRP provide in pockets deeper than 6 mm: 1.19 mm

What mean probing depth reduction does SRP provide in pockets deeper than 6 mm: 2.19 mm

Is SRP more effective for deeper or shallower pockets: Deeper pockets show greater absolute reduction

Are adjunctive antimicrobials used for every patient: No, only for selected patients

When are local antimicrobials recommended: In patients with probing depth of 5 mm or greater

What local antimicrobials are commonly used: Chlorhexidine chips or gels placed into pockets

What systemic antibiotics may be used for aggressive disease: Metronidazole with or without amoxicillin

How much additional probing depth reduction do adjunctive antimicrobials provide: Approximately 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm

Is the improvement from adjunctive antimicrobials greater than from SRP alone: No, SRP provides the primary benefit

Does smoking affect SRP outcomes: Yes, smokers show attenuated healing responses

Does diabetes affect SRP outcomes: Yes, it can impair healing response

When does significant pocket depth reduction begin after root planing: Within one week

When does substantial pocket depth reduction occur after root planing: Within three weeks

Is initial pocket reduction associated with gum recession: Yes

Is secondary pocket reduction associated with attachment gain: Yes

What post-operative sensitivity is normal after SRP: Temperature sensitivity for 1–7 days

How long does gum soreness typically last after SRP: 2–5 days

Is gum recession after SRP a sign of damage: No, it indicates inflammation is resolving

Should patients use a soft-bristled toothbrush after SRP: Yes

Is powered toothbrushing recommended after SRP: Yes, evidence supports better outcomes than manual brushing

How long did powered toothbrush benefits persist in a 2024 clinical trial: 24 weeks

When is the formal reassessment appointment scheduled after SRP: 8 to 12 weeks post-treatment

Why is the reassessment at 8–12 weeks specifically: Allows healing before bacterial recolonisation re-establishes

What does the reassessment appointment involve: Full re-charting of pocket depths and attachment levels

What are the three possible outcomes of the reassessment: Disease arrested, partial response, or insufficient response

What pocket depth indicates successful disease arrest: 4 mm or less with minimal bleeding

What happens if disease is arrested after SRP: Patient transitions to supportive periodontal therapy

What happens if pockets of 5–6 mm persist at reassessment: Additional SRP or adjunctive antimicrobials considered

What residual pocket depth may indicate need for surgery: 6 mm or greater with continued bleeding

Is surgery ever the first treatment option at Smile Solutions: No

What is the bacteria recolonisation timeframe after SRP: Three to six weeks post-treatment

What makes specialist SRP different from a routine scale-and-clean: Advanced anatomical knowledge and instrumentation technique

Who performs SRP at Smile Solutions: Board-registered specialist periodontists

Is a referral required to book at Smile Solutions: No

What is the phone number for Smile Solutions: 13 13 96

Where is Smile Solutions located: Level 12, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD

How many clinicians does Smile Solutions have: 60 or more

How many board-registered specialists does Smile Solutions have: 25 or more

How many patients has Smile Solutions treated: Over 250,000

What causes periodontitis: Subgingival bacterial biofilm in periodontal pockets

What does the subgingival biofilm trigger: An immune-inflammatory response destroying bone and attachment

Is periodontal surgery superior for pockets greater than 6 mm: Yes, generally superior to SRP alone

Is SRP superior for pockets of 4–6 mm: Yes, for clinical attachment level gain

Does SRP always eliminate subgingival pathogens completely: No, not in all patients

What is the ADA's benefit-to-risk rating for SRP: Favourable

Is home oral hygiene instruction provided after SRP at Smile Solutions: Yes

Is oral hygiene instruction generic or personalised at Smile Solutions: Personalised to each patient

What modifiable risk factors are addressed during treatment: Smoking, glycaemic control, and stress management

Non-surgical gum disease treatment: how scaling, root planing, and debridement work at Smile Solutions

If you've been told you have periodontitis — whether that's early-stage gingivitis or more advanced bone loss — the good news is that surgery is rarely where we begin. For most patients, the first step is a carefully sequenced, evidence-based programme of non-surgical treatment: full-mouth debridement, subgingival scaling and root planing (SRP), adjunctive antimicrobial therapy, and structured oral hygiene re-education. At Smile Solutions in Melbourne, this process is delivered by board-registered specialist periodontists whose clinical training, diagnostic precision, and instrumentation technique meaningfully separate specialist-delivered non-surgical therapy from a routine scale-and-clean at a general dental practice.

This article explains what happens during non-surgical periodontal treatment at Smile Solutions — what each procedure involves, what the evidence says about outcomes, what you can expect during and after treatment, and how your three-month reassessment determines whether the disease has been arrested or whether surgical intervention is warranted.

Why non-surgical treatment is the right starting point

Periodontitis is a bacterial infection of the supporting structures of your teeth — the gingival tissue, periodontal ligament, cementum, and alveolar bone. The primary driver is the subgingival biofilm: a structured, polymicrobial community of anaerobic bacteria that colonises root surfaces and periodontal pockets below the gum line, triggering the immune-inflammatory response that ultimately destroys bone and attachment (see our guide on What Is Periodontics? The Complete Guide to Gum Disease, the Periodontium, and Specialist Care).

While scaling and root planing remains the gold standard for periodontal disease treatment, adjunctive therapies are currently being studied to enhance outcomes. The rationale for beginning with non-surgical therapy is straightforward: in many cases — particularly Stages I through III periodontitis — mechanical decontamination of the root surface, combined with personalised re-education and behavioural change, is sufficient to arrest disease progression and avoid surgery entirely. Root planing is superior for clinical attachment level gain when pocket depth is 4–6 mm, and periodontal surgery is generally superior when pocket depth exceeds 6 mm. The non-surgical pathway isn't a "less serious" option — it's the clinically appropriate and evidence-supported first phase of care for most patients.

Understanding the terminology: debridement vs. scaling vs. root planing

These three terms are often used interchangeably, but they describe distinct clinical procedures with different goals and indications.

Root planing is the definitive procedure designed for the removal of cementum and dentin that is rough and/or permeated by calculus or contaminated with toxins or microorganisms. Full-mouth debridement is defined as the gross removal of calculus that interferes with the ability of the dentist to perform a comprehensive oral evaluation — a preliminary procedure that doesn't preclude the need for additional treatment.

In practice at Smile Solutions, these procedures follow a deliberate sequence. Your initial debridement appointment clears the gross deposits that can obscure accurate pocket depth measurement and radiographic interpretation. This is followed by definitive subgingival SRP, typically delivered under local anaesthetic, which is the core therapeutic intervention.

Phase one: full-mouth debridement and initial assessment

Before any therapeutic scaling begins, patients with significant calculus accumulation — particularly those presenting for the first time or those who haven't had professional care in several years — undergo full-mouth debridement. This isn't a routine prophylaxis. It's a clinical procedure performed to remove the volume of supragingival and accessible subgingival calculus that would otherwise prevent your periodontist from accurately charting pocket depths, assessing bleeding on probing, and taking meaningful radiographic measurements.

At Smile Solutions, this initial debridement appointment is integrated with the specialist consultation process described in our guide on Your First Periodontist Appointment at Smile Solutions: What to Expect at a Specialist Periodontal Consultation. Your periodontist uses this visit to:

• Perform or confirm comprehensive six-point periodontal charting across all teeth
• Record pocket depths, bleeding on probing (BOP), furcation involvement, and clinical attachment levels
• Review full-mouth periapical or bitewing radiographs for bone level assessment
• Identify sites with pockets ≥ 4 mm that require definitive subgingival instrumentation
• Establish baseline clinical parameters against which your post-treatment outcomes will be measured

Accurate baseline data matters enormously here. Clinical attachment level (CAL) is measured from a fixed reference point — typically the cementoenamel junction — and is a more valid and stable indicator of periodontal improvement than probing depth alone. Gains in clinical attachment account for roughly 50% of probing depth reduction after SRP of periodontal pockets with depths of 4 to 6 mm and 7 mm or more.

Phase two: subgingival scaling and root planing under local anaesthetic

The definitive non-surgical treatment phase at Smile Solutions involves subgingival SRP, delivered under local anaesthetic, to all sites with clinically significant pocket depths. This is where specialist expertise matters most — and where the clinical experience of our periodontists makes a genuine difference to your outcomes.

Why local anaesthetic is used

Subgingival instrumentation in pockets of 4 mm or deeper is uncomfortable without anaesthesia. More importantly, local anaesthetic allows your periodontist to work precisely and thoroughly — accessing deep furcation areas, distal molar surfaces, and narrow interproximal pockets that require extended instrumentation time. Anaesthetic-assisted SRP allows the clinician to apply the sustained, deliberate strokes needed to adequately debride root surfaces without causing discomfort that would otherwise limit the depth and completeness of treatment.

Full-mouth vs. quadrant-based delivery

Your Smile Solutions specialist periodontist may deliver SRP across the full mouth within a single or two-visit session, or on a quadrant-by-quadrant basis over multiple appointments. Both approaches are clinically validated and your treatment plan will reflect what's most appropriate for you.

Full-mouth root planing and quadrant root planing both produce reductions in probing pocket depths, improvements in clinical attachment levels, and reductions in bleeding on probing. A systematic review published in the British Dental Journal found that both the traditional quadrant approach and full-mouth debridement can be equally effective.

The case for treating the full mouth within a compressed timeframe comes down to bacterial recolonisation: conventional non-surgical therapy performed on a quadrant basis with 1–2 week intervals may allow bacteria to recolonise instrumented pockets and impair healing. At Smile Solutions, your treating periodontist selects the delivery protocol based on disease severity, your systemic health, anaesthetic considerations, and operator fatigue — recognising that operator fatigue is comparatively less in quadrant-based SRP than in full-mouth approaches.

What happens during the procedure

During each SRP session, your Smile Solutions periodontist uses a combination of:

• Ultrasonic scalers — piezoelectric or magnetostrictive devices that use high-frequency vibrations and water coolant to disrupt and remove calculus and biofilm from root surfaces
• Hand instruments (curettes) — specifically shaped, sharp instruments used to plane and smooth the root surface at a tactile level that ultrasonics alone can't fully replicate
• Subgingival irrigation — delivery of antimicrobial agents directly into the pocket during or after instrumentation

SRP is regarded as the gold standard of nonsurgical periodontal treatment, but it's a technically demanding procedure. Its effectiveness is limited by anatomic factors including furcation involvement, tooth type, and surface anatomy, as well as the experience of the operator. This is why specialist-delivered SRP at Smile Solutions produces different outcomes from routine hygienist scaling — your periodontist's advanced anatomical knowledge, instrument selection, and tactile sensitivity directly affect how completely root surfaces are decontaminated.

Adjunctive antimicrobial therapy: when and why it's used

Mechanical debridement alone doesn't always eliminate the entire subgingival pathogen load — particularly in deep pockets, furcation-involved teeth, and patients with aggressive disease. For this reason, adjunctive antimicrobial therapy is incorporated into the non-surgical protocol at Smile Solutions for selected patients.

The central question is whether scaling and root planing accompanied by an adjunctive antimicrobial agent improves outcomes that persist over time. Adjunctive antimicrobials include systemic and/or locally applied tetracycline, minocycline, metronidazole, metronidazole plus amoxicillin, and chlorhexidine.

The evidence supports a careful approach. Locally administered adjunctive drugs appear more effective than systemic drugs; most positive results have been recorded for tetracycline, minocycline, metronidazole, and chlorhexidine. Adjunctive therapies generally reduce probing depth, with differences between treatment and SRP-only groups typically favouring the treatment groups — but usually modestly, from about 0.1 mm to nearly 0.5 mm, even when statistically significant.

Some antimicrobials show promise as adjuncts to SRP for treating non-aggressive chronic periodontitis in patients without comorbid conditions such as diabetes or immune deficiency, but the incremental improvements in probing depth and clinical attachment level are a fraction of what SRP itself achieves. Whether such improvements, even if statistically significant, are clinically meaningful remains an open question.

At Smile Solutions, adjunctive antimicrobials aren't applied routinely to every patient. Your specialist periodontist makes an evidence-informed decision based on:

• Disease staging and grading (Stage III–IV or Grade C disease with rapid progression)
• Systemic risk factors such as poorly controlled diabetes (see our guide on Gum Disease and Systemic Health)
• Residual deep pockets (≥ 5 mm) after initial mechanical therapy
• Specific microbiological patterns suggesting aggressive periodontal pathogens

Scaling and root planing is the gold standard for periodontitis treatment. Additional local antimicrobials are recommended in patients with a probing depth of ≥ 5 mm.

The most commonly used adjunctive agents at Smile Solutions' specialist level include locally delivered chlorhexidine chips or gels placed directly into residual pockets, and in selected cases, systemic antibiotic prescriptions — typically metronidazole with or without amoxicillin — for patients with aggressive or refractory disease.

Home-care education: the part that determines your long-term results

Professional decontamination is only one half of the therapeutic equation. Behaviours, comorbidities, and lifestyle factors all play a role in long-term periodontitis management, and both in-office and home hygiene programmes affect outcomes.

At Smile Solutions, every patient who undergoes non-surgical periodontal therapy receives structured oral hygiene instruction from the treating periodontist and clinical team. This isn't generic advice — it's personalised guidance based on:

• Your specific plaque accumulation pattern identified during periodontal charting
• Your dexterity, motivation, and compliance history
• The presence of restorations, implants, or prostheses that affect cleaning access
• Interdental cleaning technique (floss, interdental brushes, or water flossers)

The evidence for powered toothbrushing is worth noting. A 2024 randomised clinical trial published in the International Journal of Dental Hygiene found that twice-daily powered toothbrushing sustained the effects of SRP for bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth, and plaque significantly better than manual toothbrushing in a Stage I/II periodontitis population. Differences in clinical profiles were evident four weeks following SRP and persisted for 24 weeks.

You'll also receive guidance on modifiable risk factors — smoking cessation, glycaemic control if you have diabetes, and stress management — that directly affect your healing response and long-term disease stability (see our guide on Gum Disease Causes and Risk Factors).

What to expect: during and after treatment

During treatment

With local anaesthetic, SRP itself should not be painful. You'll typically feel pressure and vibration from the ultrasonic scaler and hand instruments, but not sharp pain. Depending on the number of teeth involved and pocket depths, each quadrant session at Smile Solutions typically takes 45–90 minutes. Full-mouth treatment in a single session may take two or more hours.

Immediately after treatment

Post-operative sensitivity is normal and expected. You may experience:

• Temperature sensitivity (hot and cold) for 1–7 days, as exposed root surfaces previously covered by inflamed gum tissue are now accessible to oral fluids
• Gum soreness around treated areas for 2–5 days
• Slight bleeding when brushing for the first few days
• Gum recession that becomes visible as swollen tissue resolves — this isn't damage, but a sign that inflammation is resolving

Substantial reduction in pocket depth occurs within three weeks after a single episode of root planing, owing to initial gingival recession and secondary gain in clinical attachment. Significant pocket depth reduction begins within one week and reduces further at three weeks. Initial pocket reduction is associated with gingival recession, whereas secondary pocket reduction is associated with gain of clinical attachment.

Your Smile Solutions team will advise you to:

• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush or powered toothbrush with gentle pressure
• Avoid very hot or cold foods for the first few days
• Rinse with a chlorhexidine mouthwash as prescribed
• Resume your normal diet as tolerated, avoiding hard or crunchy foods in treated areas for 48 hours

Expected clinical outcomes: what the evidence shows

Patients frequently ask whether this will actually work. The answer, grounded in decades of clinical evidence, is yes — with important nuances based on your initial pocket depth.

In pockets deeper than 6 mm, SRP produces a mean clinical attachment gain of 1.19 mm and a mean probing depth reduction of 2.19 mm. For moderate pockets of 4–6 mm, the gains are smaller but clinically significant. For pockets 7 mm or greater, the mean difference in pocket depth reduction was 2.22 ± 1.35 mm (p < 0.0001). Reduction in pocket depth and improvement in attachment levels were both related to initial severity.

These figures are population averages. Your individual outcomes will vary based on:

• Disease stage and grade at presentation
• Smoking status — smokers consistently show attenuated healing responses
• Systemic conditions such as diabetes
• Your compliance with home care post-treatment
• Operator skill and completeness of debridement

Although SRP is a cost-effective approach for initial treatment of chronic periodontitis, it fails to eliminate subgingival pathogens and halt progressive attachment loss in some patients. This is why your three-month reassessment at Smile Solutions is a structured, clinically rigorous appointment — not a routine check-up.

Your three-month reassessment: the clinical decision point

Approximately eight to twelve weeks after completing the active non-surgical treatment phase, you'll return to Smile Solutions for a formal reassessment. Your periodontist performs a full re-charting — repeating the same six-point pocket depth measurements, bleeding on probing scores, and clinical attachment level assessments recorded at baseline — and compares them systematically against your pre-treatment data.

Bacteria are expected to return to their pre-treatment pattern three to six weeks after scaling and root planing. The three-month timeframe corresponds to the standard control interval for periodontitis patients.

This timing is deliberate: it allows sufficient tissue healing and resolution of post-operative inflammation for an accurate assessment of true clinical attachment gain, while falling within the window before significant bacterial recolonisation can re-establish deep pathogenic biofilm.

What your reassessment determines

Your reassessment at Smile Solutions produces one of three clinical decisions:

1. Disease arrested — transition to maintenance. Pocket depths have reduced to ≤ 4 mm with minimal or absent bleeding on probing across the mouth. You transition to a supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) programme at Smile Solutions, with recall intervals determined by your periodontist based on individual risk (see our guide on Periodontal Maintenance: How to Prevent Gum Disease from Returning After Specialist Treatment).

2. Partial response — additional non-surgical treatment. Some sites show persistent pockets of 5–6 mm with residual bleeding. These sites may benefit from repeat SRP, adjunctive local antimicrobials, or further oral hygiene reinforcement before a final decision about surgery is made.

3. Insufficient response — surgical planning initiated. Residual pockets ≥ 6 mm with continued bleeding on probing, particularly at molar furcation sites or areas of complex root anatomy, indicate that non-surgical access has been inadequate to fully decontaminate the root surface. In these cases, your Smile Solutions periodontist will discuss surgical options — including open-flap debridement, osseous surgery, or guided tissue regeneration — with you directly (see our guide on Periodontal Surgery at Smile Solutions: A Guide to Flap Surgery, Osseous Surgery, and Surgical Pocket Reduction).

Surgery at Smile Solutions is never the first resort. It's the response to documented, objective evidence that non-surgical therapy has been insufficient, and it's always planned collaboratively with you.

Key takeaways

• Non-surgical SRP is the evidence-based first-line treatment for periodontitis. The American Dental Association's expert panel voted in favour of SRP as the initial non-surgical treatment for chronic periodontitis, with moderate benefit ratings and a favourable benefit-to-risk profile.

• Specialist delivery matters. The effectiveness of SRP is directly limited by anatomic complexity and operator skill. Smile Solutions' board-registered specialist periodontists bring the postgraduate training, instrumentation expertise, and clinical experience needed to maximise the completeness of root surface decontamination.

• Full-mouth and quadrant-based SRP produce equivalent clinical outcomes. Both approaches are validated by systematic review evidence; the choice at Smile Solutions is always personalised to your circumstances, disease severity, and clinical logistics.

• Adjunctive antimicrobials provide modest incremental benefit. Local delivery agents (chlorhexidine, minocycline) are evidence-supported adjuncts for patients with deep residual pockets (≥ 5 mm), but the primary therapeutic effect comes from mechanical debridement.

• Your three-month reassessment is the pivotal clinical decision point. Formal re-charting at 8–12 weeks objectively determines whether disease has been arrested, whether additional non-surgical treatment is needed, or whether surgical intervention should be planned.

Conclusion

Non-surgical periodontal treatment — full-mouth debridement, subgingival scaling and root planing under local anaesthetic, adjunctive antimicrobial therapy, and structured home-care education — is the cornerstone of specialist periodontal care at Smile Solutions Melbourne. For most patients with Stages I–III periodontitis, this carefully sequenced, evidence-based pathway is sufficient to arrest disease, reduce pocket depths, and restore gingival health without surgery.

The difference between non-surgical treatment at Smile Solutions and a routine hygiene appointment lies not in the instruments used, but in the clinical depth of the operator: the precision of pocket access, the completeness of root surface decontamination, the integration of adjunctive therapy where the evidence supports it, and the formal, data-driven reassessment that determines your next phase of care.

For patients whose disease hasn't responded sufficiently to non-surgical treatment, Smile Solutions' specialist periodontists are equally equipped to deliver the full spectrum of surgical periodontal therapy — ensuring that every patient has access to the right treatment, at the right time, in a single multidisciplinary practice in the Melbourne CBD.

If you're concerned about your gum health or you've been told you may have periodontitis, no referral is required to book a specialist appointment at Smile Solutions. Call 13 13 96 or visit smilesolutions.com.au to arrange your specialist periodontal consultation.

Related guides in this series:

• Your First Periodontist Appointment at Smile Solutions: What to Expect
• Periodontal Surgery at Smile Solutions: Flap Surgery, Osseous Surgery, and Surgical Pocket Reduction
• Periodontal Maintenance: How to Prevent Gum Disease from Returning After Specialist Treatment
• Gum Disease Causes and Risk Factors: Why Some People Are More Susceptible to Periodontitis

Smile Solutions has been providing specialist periodontal care from Melbourne's CBD since 1993. Situated at the Manchester Unity Building, Level 12 and Tower, 220 Collins Street, Smile Solutions brings together 60+ clinicians — including 25+ board-registered specialists — who have cared for over 250,000 patients across Melbourne and beyond. No referral is required to book a specialist appointment. Call 13 13 96 or visit smilesolutions.com.au to arrange your specialist periodontal consultation.

References

• Smiley CJ, Tracy SL, Abt E, et al. "Evidence-based clinical practice guideline on the nonsurgical treatment of chronic periodontitis by means of scaling and root planing with or without adjuncts." Journal of the American Dental Association, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2015.01.026

• Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health. "Dental Scaling and Root Planing for Periodontal Health: A Review of the Clinical Effectiveness, Cost-effectiveness, and Guidelines." CADTH Rapid Response Reports, 2016. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK401542/

• Bonito AJ, Lohr KN, Lux L, et al. "Effectiveness of Antimicrobial Adjuncts to Scaling and Root-Planing Therapy for Periodontitis." AHRQ Evidence Report, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK37160/

• Jenkins W, Starke EM, Nelson M, Milleman K, Milleman J, Ward M. "The effects of scaling and root planing plus home oral hygiene maintenance in Stage I/II periodontitis population: A 24-week randomized clinical trial." International Journal of Dental Hygiene, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/idh.12783

• Cobb CM. "Non-surgical pocket therapy: mechanical." Annals of Periodontology, 1996;1:443–490. [Cited in ScienceDirect Topics: Scaling and Root Planing overview]

• Choi YM, et al. "Effect of root planing on the reduction of probing depth and the gain of clinical attachment depending on the mode of interproximal bone resorption." Journal of Periodontal & Implant Science, 2015. https://doi.org/10.5051/jpis.2015.45.5.184

• Teles RP, et al. "Systemic Antibiotics and Chlorhexidine Associated with Periodontal Therapy: Microbiological Effect on Intraoral Surfaces and Saliva." Antibiotics (MDPI), 2023. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12050847

• Tomasi C, et al. "Full-mouth ultrasonic debridement versus quadrant scaling and root planing as an initial approach in the treatment of chronic periodontitis." Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 2006. PMID: 15998268

• Eberhard J, Jepsen S, Jervøe-Storm PM, et al. "Full-mouth treatment versus quadrant root surface debridement in the treatment of chronic periodontitis: a systematic review." British Dental Journal, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2008.874

• Patel V, et al. "A Randomized Controlled Trial Assessing Full-Mouth Versus Quadrant-Based Scaling and Root Planing for Non-surgical Periodontal Therapy." PMC, 2025. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12081775/

• Zhao H, et al. "Effectiveness of chlorhexidine gels and chips in Periodontitis Patients after Scaling and Root Planing: a systematic review and Meta-analysis." BMC Oral Health, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-023-03241-2

Label facts summary

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No product specification data was provided. There is no Product Facts table, packaging data, ingredient list, nutritional information, certifications, dimensions, weight, GTIN, or manufacturer documentation present in the submitted content. No label facts can be extracted or verified.

General product claims

The submitted content is a clinical and marketing article for Smile Solutions, a periodontal specialist practice. The following are extractable factual and claim statements from that content, classified accordingly:

Practice-specific factual statements (verifiable via practice records)

• Practice name: Smile Solutions
• Location: Level 12, Manchester Unity Building, 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD
• Phone number: 13 13 96
• Website: smilesolutions.com.au
• Number of clinicians: 60 or more
• Number of board-registered specialists: 25 or more
• Patients treated: Over 250,000
• Operating since: 1993
• No referral required to book a specialist appointment

General claims (marketing and benefit statements not verifiable from a product label)

• Specialist-delivered SRP produces outcomes that differ from routine hygienist scaling
• Smile Solutions periodontists bring advanced anatomical knowledge and instrumentation technique
• Oral hygiene instruction is personalised to each patient
• Surgery is never the first treatment option at Smile Solutions
• Surgical options are always planned collaboratively with the patient
• Smile Solutions brings together clinicians who genuinely care about patient wellbeing