The number of visits and the cost of tartar removal are decided by where and how much tartar has built up, and by whether the treatment is covered by insurance or is self-pay. You may want to have your tartar removed in Shibuya, but be struggling to choose a dentist for reasons such as "Will it be done in one visit?", "Can I ask for tartar removal only?" or "I don't know how much it will cost." Here we explain how costs are decided and how to choose a dental clinic.
Is Tartar Removal Done in One Visit? The Number of Visits and the Cost Depend on the Condition of Your Gums
What affects the number of visits is where the tartar is and how much there is. If there is only a little in an area that can be seen, it may be finished in a short course of visits. Tartar that has worked its way under the gums is not so simple. Your mouth is divided into several areas, and the tartar is removed over several visits. You will not know which case applies to you until you have been examined.
Tartar Above the Gums or Below the Gums
How tartar looks depends on where it forms. Tartar above the gums looks whitish. Tartar that forms deep in the groove between the teeth and gums (called the periodontal pocket) is often blackish and hard, and if the gums are inflamed they also bleed more easily. For this reason, a wide area is not treated all at once. Treatment proceeds while watching how the gums react.
How Costs Are Decided Differs Between Insurance-Covered and Self-Pay Treatment
"How much is tartar removal alone?" cannot be answered with a single amount. This is because the way the amount is decided depends on the type of treatment, as follows.
Insurance-covered treatment | Self-pay (not covered by Japanese health insurance) cleaning | |
|---|---|---|
Purpose | Treatment based on examination and diagnosis of gum disease | Prevention and cosmetic care, such as removing stains and tidying up the mouth |
How it proceeds | Your condition is checked by examination before the tartar is removed, and you are re-examined if necessary | Carried out with the content set by the clinic |
How the cost is decided | Varies with the examinations and treatment involved and the share you pay yourself | Decided by each clinic's price list |
With insurance-covered treatment, the cost is calculated including the cost of examinations. The amount for each visit and the total both change depending on how many examinations are needed and how many visits the treatment is divided into. Self-pay menus differ from clinic to clinic, in both content and price. Please note that Halulu Shibuya Dental Clinic offers self-pay treatment only and does not provide insurance-covered treatment. Tartar removal at our clinic is self-pay cleaning. If you look at the price list before booking, it will be easier to compare.
Even If You Only Want "Tartar Removal," Why We Start With an Examination
Tartar is plaque (a mass of bacteria) that was not fully removed by brushing and has hardened like stone because of components in saliva. Its surface is rough, so new plaque sticks easily, and it also becomes a foothold where the bacteria that cause gum disease settle. Hardened tartar cannot be removed with a toothbrush.
To decide the area to be treated and the number of visits, we first need to check where the tartar is and how swollen the gums are. If a cavity is hidden, the order of treatment also changes. Even people who come to the clinic wanting tartar removal only spend time on examination and explanation on the first day.
Why Did the Tartar Come Off in a Chunk? Is It Okay to Leave It?
Tartar is a mass that is simply stuck to the surface of the teeth. Tartar that has grown large or whose base has become brittle may come off from the force of brushing or eating.
However, what came off may only be the part that was visible. This is because you cannot check for yourself the tartar under the gums or the inflammation of the gums where the tartar was. Do not scrape off the rest with a toothpick or a store-bought tool. You may damage the surface of your teeth or your gums. If the gums where it came off bleed or the area still feels rough, take that as a sign to have it checked once.
What to Look For When Choosing a Dental Clinic for Tartar Removal in Shibuya
There are many dental clinics around Shibuya Station. When you search, pages about whitening and preventive dentistry also come up. When comparing clinics for tartar removal, it is easier to choose if you check the following points.
- Is it in a place you can stop by on your way to work or shopping, and do the opening hours fit your daily schedule?
- Is there a way to book an available time, such as online booking?
- Do they explain the outlook for the number of visits and the cost while showing you your examination results?
- Can you check the difference between insurance-covered treatment and self-pay cleaning on a price list or similar?
- Is there a system for continuing to visit after the tartar is removed, for the sake of prevention?
Tartar forms again as time passes. If you choose a clinic by also considering whether you can keep visiting the same one instead of stopping once the tartar is removed, the burden of visits is likely to be lower as a result.
How to Consult Halulu Shibuya Dental Clinic About Tartar Removal and Cleaning
Halulu Shibuya Dental Clinic is a prevention-focused dental clinic in Jinnan, Shibuya. Our policy is to avoid drilling teeth as much as possible, and to protect and grow the teeth you have now. For people who come to us because they are concerned about tartar, we check the condition of the mouth and then decide together how to proceed with preventive dentistry and cleaning.
For those who want to know the condition of their gums and teeth in detail, there is also an Oral Dock (comprehensive dental check-up) (detailed examination). If you know your overall condition before starting tartar removal, it should be easier to see the outlook for the number of visits and the cost. Self-pay menus can be checked on the price list page.
- Address: Toyama Building 4F, 1-20-12 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo (5-minute walk from Shibuya Station on JR and other lines)
- Hours: Weekdays (Mon to Fri) 10:00 to 18:00 (by appointment only) / Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and evenings: by appointment only, on days when a doctor is in (please check the calendar when booking for details)
- How to book: Online booking (24 hours), LINE, or phone (03-5422-3518)
Because we are by appointment only, you can receive treatment with the time for each visit secured. The director is dentist Kazuya Shiho (graduate of Tokyo Medical and Dental University 〈now Institute of Science Tokyo〉). Whether you haven't been to a dental clinic for a while or you are worried because tartar came off in a chunk, with online booking you can simply choose an available date and time.
Book here: https://yoyaku.halulu.or.jp/w/book/