Teeth Cleaning
Teeth Cleaning in Edison, NJ
A cleaning, an exam, and X-rays when they're due. This is the appointment that keeps the rest of this website hypothetical.
- Cleanings, exams and X-rays
- Straight answer about what we find
- Open Saturdays 8 AM – 1 PM
- Most PPO insurance accepted
What happens at a cleaning
Plaque that stays on a tooth long enough hardens into tartar, and tartar can't be brushed off. A cleaning removes it from the surfaces you can see and just under the gumline, polishes what's left, and gives the dentist a clear view of teeth that aren't covered in anything.
That view is half the point. Most of what gets caught at a checkup is caught because it's small: a shadow on an X-ray, a filling with a hairline crack, a patch of gum that bleeds when it's touched. None of those hurt yet. All of them are cheaper now than later.
How often, and what it buys you
Six months is the usual interval and a sensible default, not a rule handed down from anywhere. What actually sets it is your own mouth.
- Every six months, for most people
- Some people need three or four months: a history of gum disease, a mouth that builds tartar quickly, a medical condition that affects healing. Some can stretch longer. We'll tell you which you're rather than booking everyone into the same slot.
- What the appointment catches
- Decay while it's still a filling rather than a crown. Gum inflammation while it's still reversible rather than a deep cleaning. A cracked filling before the crack reaches the nerve. Every page linked at the bottom of this one is a problem that started as something this appointment would have found.
- And what it doesn't turn into
- You won't be told you need a deep cleaning because you turned up. If your gums measure healthy, a regular cleaning is what you get and what you pay for. If they don't, we'll show you the numbers before we recommend anything.
How the visit goes
A look, and X-rays if they're due
Not every visit needs X-rays. When they're due we take them, because decay between two teeth is invisible until it's large, and a film is the only way to see it early.
The cleaning
Tartar comes off the teeth and from just under the gumline, then everything gets polished. Where gums are inflamed this can be briefly tender, and where they're healthy most people find it dull rather than unpleasant.
What we found, in plain words
Including when the answer is nothing. If there's something, you'll hear what it is, what it would take to fix, and what happens if you leave it. Then you can decide.
Does a cleaning hurt?
Mostly it's scraping and pressure rather than pain. The exception is gums that are already inflamed: a mouth that bleeds when you brush will be tender when it's cleaned, which is uncomfortable for a few minutes and the reason the bleeding eventually stops.
Tell us if you're sensitive, or if a previous cleaning somewhere was rough. There are ways to make it easier, and none of them require you to grip the armrests.
What a cleaning costs
Preventive visits are the part of dentistry insurance likes best. Most plans cover two cleanings a year at or close to the full amount, along with exams and the X-rays that go with them, and they do it because a cleaning is far cheaper than what it prevents.
We will verify your specific benefits before the visit. If you don't have insurance, the New Patient Special covers an exam, X-rays and a cleaning together.
See the insurance we accept, or call (732) 985-1120 and we will verify your benefits before you come in.
Reviewed by
Dr. Michael Lesnianski, DDS
Doctor of Dental Surgery, New York University College of Dentistry, graduated with Clinical Honors; residency at Woodhull Medical Center, Brooklyn.
Last reviewed
“Great dental office and very easy experience. Dr. Lesnianski was professional, friendly, and made me feel comfortable during the visit. The staff was helpful, and everything was explained clearly.”
Do I really need a cleaning every six months?
Six months is a sensible default rather than a law. Some people genuinely need three or four months: a history of gum disease, a mouth that builds tartar quickly, certain medical conditions. Some do fine on a longer interval. What decides it is how your gums look at the visits you do attend, which is something we can only tell you once we've seen them.
What if I haven't been to a dentist in years?
Then you're in good company and you won't get a lecture. Plenty of our patients come back after a long gap, often because something started hurting. We'll tell you what we find and what it would take to sort out, in the order it needs sorting, and nothing has to happen on the first visit except the looking.
New Patient Special →Will a cleaning make my teeth whiter?
It will remove surface stain from coffee, tea and smoking, so teeth usually look brighter afterwards. But that's the natural color of your teeth reappearing, not a change to it. Whitening is a different treatment that changes the shade of the tooth itself.
My gums bleed when they're cleaned. Should I be worried?
It means they're inflamed, which is common and, caught early, reversible. Healthy gums don't bleed when touched. If it's mild, better brushing and daily flossing usually settle it within a couple of weeks. If the pockets around the teeth measure deeper than they should, that's where a deep cleaning comes in, and we'll show you the measurements rather than just recommending one.
Deep cleaning →Do I need X-rays at every visit?
No. X-rays are taken when they're due or when something needs investigating, not as a matter of routine at every cleaning. They matter because decay between two teeth can't be seen by looking, and a small cavity found on film is a filling rather than a crown.
Where to go next
Where to find us
Edison Dental Studio is at 96 Plainfield Ave, Edison, NJ 08817. The practice has cared for families in Edison for more than 50 years. You can reach us at (732) 985-1120.
- Monday
- 9 AM – 5 PM
- Tuesday
- 9 AM – 5 PM
- Wednesday
- 9 AM – 5 PM
- Thursday
- Closed
- Friday
- 9 AM – 5 PM
- Saturday
- 8 AM – 1 PM
- Sunday
- Closed
Part of our general dentistry care.
Teeth cleaning in Edison, NJ
Due for a cleaning, or years overdue? Both are fine, and both start the same way. Call us or book online.