The Big Difference
Lately I’ve noticed more and more patients are confused about what a “regular cleaning” is and what a “Periodontal Maintenance” is. Confusion is no stranger in some dental offices, and sadly confusion can lead to feeling apprehensive about coming into an office. Our goal in our office is make you feel confident with us and the things we tell you, so you always walk away knowing exactly what’s going on, after all it’s your mouth. So what is the difference between a “regular cleaning” or Prophylaxis and Periodontal Maintenance?
A prophylaxis is for healthy gum and bone with tartar limited to the crown of the tooth and not on the root. This treatment is usually done every 6 months along with a check up and includes removal of the tartar and a polish to remove any staining. A periodontal maintenance in comparison removes tartar from the crown of the tooth, but also removes tartar from the root this treatment is usually following an initial scaling and root planing (What is Scaling and Root Planing?) or “deep cleaning”. A periodontal maintenance requires more skill, expertise and time as the Doctor or Hygienist are working below the gum on root tissue that is more easily damaged than the crown.
It is our goal to provide the best treatment possible and to work with our patients to achieve the best result. We feel that working together as a team most if not all patients can progress through the steps in periodontal treatment and be able to be healthy with regular re-care and more effective homecare. It is our opportunity to provide treatment when needed, and to help our patients improve homecare so they can maintain their own health long term. We look forward to helping all our patients reach these goals.