A dental prophylaxis is a comprehensive cleaning procedure designed to thoroughly clean your teeth and maintain optimal oral health. This essential treatment plays a crucial role in halting the progression of periodontal disease and gingivitis, serving as your first line of defense against serious gum problems.
Periodontal disease and gingivitis develop when harmful bacteria from plaque establish colonies on your gum tissue, either above or below the gum line. These bacterial colonies trigger significant inflammation and irritation, which creates a chronic inflammatory response throughout your body. Left untreated, this process causes your body to systematically destroy gum and bone tissue, potentially causing teeth to shift, become loose, or even fall out completely. As gum pockets deepen, they harbor increasing numbers of dangerous bacteria that can enter your bloodstream and potentially affect other parts of your body.
Professional prophylaxis is an excellent procedure for maintaining optimal oral health while effectively halting the progression of gum disease. Regular cleanings provide numerous benefits that extend far beyond just having clean teeth:
Even with excellent home care habits, tartar (calculus) and plaque buildup above and below the gum line can cause serious periodontal problems if left untreated. No matter how diligent you are with brushing and flossing, it's virtually impossible to remove all debris, bacteria, and deposits from deep gum pockets. Our trained professionals use specialized dental equipment and techniques to spot and eliminate tartar and plaque buildup that home care simply cannot reach.
It's difficult to feel confident about your smile when yellowing or stained teeth detract from your appearance. Professional prophylaxis effectively removes unsightly surface stains and discoloration, helping restore your smile's natural brightness and beauty. You'll leave our office feeling more confident about your appearance and eager to share your renewed smile.
Persistent bad breath (halitosis) is often one of the first signs of periodontal disease. This embarrassing condition typically results from a combination of trapped food particles below the gum line, possible infection, and ongoing periodontal problems. The thorough removal of plaque, calculus, and bacteria during prophylaxis significantly improves breath freshness while alleviating gum irritation and inflammation.
Many serious health problems first become apparent during routine dental examinations. Since prophylaxis involves a comprehensive examination of your entire oral cavity, we can screen for oral cancer, evaluate your risk of developing periodontitis, and often identify early signs of systemic medical conditions such as diabetes and kidney problems. We'll also provide personalized recommendations for improving your home care routine to maximize your oral health between visits.
Your prophylaxis treatment can be performed during a regular dental visit, though patients with severe periodontal disease may require treatment under general anesthesia for optimal comfort and thoroughness. When general anesthesia is used, we may place a protective endotracheal tube to safeguard your lungs from any harmful bacteria removed during the cleaning process.
Professional prophylaxis is carefully performed in several systematic stages to ensure complete and effective treatment:
We begin by thoroughly cleaning all areas above your gum line using specialized scaling instruments to remove all plaque and calculus deposits from visible tooth surfaces. This step ensures that harmful buildup doesn't continue to irritate your gums or contribute to decay.
This critical step is especially important for patients with periodontal disease, as it allows us to access and remove calculus deposits from within gum pockets and beneath the gum line—areas where disease-causing bacteria tend to concentrate and multiply.
During this meticulous process, we smooth the tooth root surfaces to eliminate any remaining bacteria and create an environment that discourages future bacterial colonization. Since these bacteria pose particular dangers to patients with periodontitis, their complete elimination is one of our highest priorities.
Following scaling and root planing, we often place antibiotic or antimicrobial medications directly into treated gum pockets. These therapeutic agents promote faster, healthier healing while helping to minimize any post-treatment discomfort.
Routine X-rays provide invaluable insights into the current state of your periodontal health. These images reveal the extent of any bone or gum recession and help us identify areas that may require additional attention or future treatment planning.
For patients with healthy gums, we recommend prophylaxis twice annually as an effective preventive measure.
Phone: (561) 272-5858 Fax: (561) 272-5615 Address: 505 S.E. 6th Ave., Suite A Delray Beach, Fl 33483
Hours: Monday and Wednesday 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M., Tuesday and Thursday 8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M., Friday: 8:00 A.M. - 12 P.M.