What is the difference between a prophy and periodontal maintenance?
A prophy is a preventive cleaning typically done twice a year. It involves scaling and polishing teeth above the gum line. It is performed in absence of the absence of disease. A periodontal maintenance appointment is a follow up to deep cleaning. It involves removal of plaque and calculus (tartar) both above and below the gum line. It is typically done on a three or four-month basis, depending upon an individual’s needs. The interval is decided upon by the clinician. The factors that determine this include oral hygiene, pocket depths, bone loss, and the amount of deposits a person accumulates between visits.
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