Experienced Root Planing for Barnet & North London Patients

Root planing is advised when plaque and tartar sit below the gumline creating pockets where bacteria grow. This is periodontitis and it won’t go away on its own. Seek assessment if your gums are red, swollen, or tender and bleed when you brush. Other signs include gums pulling away from teeth, making them look longer, or a change in how your teeth fit together when you bite. A patient from High Barnet had pockets of 5-6 mm; after treatment they reduced to a healthy 2-3 mm, slowing the disease. If you’re in Barnet and notice these issues, prompt evaluation helps prevent tooth loss.

The root planing process is straightforward. First, you have a 45 minute consult to measure gum pocket depth and you may have digital X rays to assess bone health. The treatment usually takes place in two appointments of 60 to 90 minutes each, focusing on one side of the mouth at a time. We numb the area fully with local anaesthetic for comfort. Then we carefully clean the root surfaces below the gumline, removing plaque and tartar. We smooth the root surfaces to help your gums reattach. A follow up visit is scheduled 4 to 6 weeks later to check healing and plan long term care.

After root planing, you may have tenderness and sensitivity for a few days. Gums may feel sore and you might notice sensitivity to hot and cold, which usually eases within a week. For the first 24 to 48 hours eat soft foods like soup, yogurt, and smoothies and avoid very hot or spicy items. Rinse with warm salt water two to three times a day to aid healing. Continue brushing and flossing, but be gentle around the treated areas for the first week. Most patients return to normal activities the same day. Red flags requiring immediate contact: severe pain not relieved by over the counter painkillers, heavy bleeding that lasts for hours, or significant swelling. During office hours Mon, Wed, Fri 9 to 5 and Tue, Thu 11 to 7. For after hours, go to A&E or call 111.

Root planing works well for moderate gum disease, but it helps to know alternatives. For very early gum disease gyv, a standard professional cleaning and better home care may reverse it. In advanced periodontitis with deep pockets and bone loss, options like flap surgery or bone grafting might be needed. These are more invasive and costly. We start with the least invasive, most effective option first. During your Finchley consultation we explain why root planing is the best first step for you or not compared with other options.

To choose what fits you, ask any provider in the Barnet area these questions. First, ask what the total cost includes—does it cover the initial assessment, the procedure for all necessary quadrants, and the follow up visit? You should also ask about their experience with periodontal treatments and what results you can realistically expect. Find out what maintenance plan they recommend after treatment to prevent recurrence. Finally ask how they manage patient comfort and whether local anaesthetic is always used for this procedure.

We believe in full transparency with our pricing. The cost of root planing depends on the number of teeth and quadrants requiring treatment. A precise, fixed-cost treatment plan will be provided after your initial assessment, with no hidden fees. As a private practice, we do not offer NHS treatment, but we do accept patients with private dental insurance from providers including Max Bupa, Denplan, and Cigna. For a patient from Barnet who needed two quadrants treated, the cost was clearly outlined upfront, allowing them to plan accordingly. We can discuss your specific coverage and provide the necessary documentation for your insurer.