Services

Preventive Prophylaxis

Prophy

We recommend that you get a routine dental cleaning to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth. Plaque is a sticky, colorless film of food and bacteria that forms constantly on your teeth.

A routine dental cleaning is often called prophylaxis or "prophy."

The importance of prophylaxis

Even when you brush and floss properly every day, some plaque remains on your teeth and hardens to become tartar. Tartar can be removed effectively only with a professional cleaning.

It is important to remove plaque and tartar because they are the main cause of tooth decay and gum disease.

The procedure

To clean your teeth, we use a variety of instruments to carefully remove all the plaque and tartar above and below the gumline. These instruments may include hand scalers, an ultrasonic scaler, and dental floss, superfloss, or other flossing aids.

We may also use polishing instruments to remove stains from your teeth.

We will carefully review your homecare routine as well.

With regular dental cleanings, we can help you maintain a healthy mouth and a beautiful smile.