How much should a light scaling and cleaning cost?

Answer 1

In the absense of periodontal disease (meaning you don't have any gum disease) then you may be able to qualify for a basic "preventative" cleaning. Depending on your city/state this can range from $50 to $100 and this is typically only 1 visit lasting 30-60 minutes. Keep in mind this doesn't include the cost of x-rays or an exam with the dentist, which is usually required by law. In our office, we charge $81 for a basic cleaning. This does not include exam or x-rays.

If you have periodontal disease (or gum disease), then everything changes and you no longer qualify for a basic "preventative" cleaning. You will need non-surgical periodontal therapy (Scaling and Root Planing) which is a lot more time consuming and therefore, a lot more expensive. The fee ranges from $100 to $300 per quadrant depending on the severity of disease and city/state. In our office we charge $160 - $260 per quadrant depending on severity. There are 4 quadrants in your mouth, so that equates to $640-$1,040 for a full mouth periodontal therapy.

Moral of the story?....Brush and Floss and keep up on your preventative cleanings before it's too late and you need Full Mouth Perio Therapy. And then floss some more! :-)

Now, that all depends on the Dentist and the practice. Some dental practices will give you a reasonable discount if you don't have dental insurance. Most dentist have easy payment plans as well. Shop around.