A prophylaxis is commonly known as a cleaning. It is the removal of plaque, calculus and stains from your teeth that are not affected by bone loss or periodontal disease. Your dental hygienist or dentist will use hand and/or ultrasonic instruments to remove these build-ups. A prophylaxis is performed for patients who do not have dense deposit build up and their teeth have not been affected by bone loss, infection or periodontal disease. Typically, patients return every six months for this procedure, however, some patients are seen once a month, some every 3 or 4 months, and some only once a year. We will recommend the best interval for you.