If you’re not using a dental air polisher at your practice, you‘re missing out on opportunities for improving dental patient experiences and reducing dental team fatigue. Also, if you currently use an air polisher, advancements in recent years have increased their efficiency ad utility. Learn about these advancements and the up-to-date options on the market, and decide which air polisher is best for your patients and dental team.
Depending on your age, air polishing is something you may have learned about briefly in school, but never encountered again. There are some good reasons for that. Back in the day, air polishers were fiddly to set up, messy to use and a pain to clean. Patients quickly developed reservations of their own after experiencing the ‘yucky’ tasting polishing powder. However, that has all changed.
What is an Air Polisher?
Air polishers use abrasive powders, propelled by highly pressurized air, to create a precise abrasive action for polishing teeth. Originally introduced in the 1970s, old air polishers provided an alternative to rubber cup polishing with one big caveat: they were intended for use only on supragingival surfaces and not softer tissue like dentin and cementum.
Just as most technologies have improved significantly over the past four decades, so have air polishers. Today’s units are relatively small, while the handpieces are now ultra-lightweight and easily maneuverable. They can now be used on subgingival surfaces. Also, while there was only one powder type available in the 70s, there are now several that cover a range of uses.
Benefits of Air Polishing
Air polishing offers several advantages over traditional methods like scaling and manual polishing. These benefits make air polishing a preferred choice for many dental professionals aiming to provide efficient and comfortable treatments. Here are some key advantages:
- Improved Patient Comfort: Air polishing is generally less abrasive than traditional scaling, which can significantly reduce discomfort for patients. This method is particularly beneficial for those with sensitive teeth or gums.
- Reduced Treatment Time: Air polishers can clean and polish teeth more quickly than manual methods, allowing for shorter and more efficient dental appointments.
- Better Stain Removal: The fine particles used in air polishing can effectively remove stubborn stains and biofilm, resulting in cleaner and brighter teeth.
- Minimized Risk of Damage: Because air polishing is less abrasive, it reduces the risk of damaging the enamel or other delicate tissues in the mouth compared to traditional scaling.
- Enhanced Access to Hard-to-Reach Areas: Air polishers can easily clean interdental spaces and other challenging areas, ensuring a more thorough overall cleaning.
These benefits highlight why many dental professionals incorporate air polishing into their practices, as it enhances the patient experience while delivering superior clinical outcomes.
Is Air Polishing Good for Teeth?
Yes, air polishing is good for teeth. This advanced technique effectively removes plaque and stubborn stains without harming the enamel. Unlike traditional scaling, which can sometimes cause discomfort and minor abrasion to the tooth surface, air polishing uses a mixture of air, water, and fine powder to gently clean the teeth. It is particularly beneficial for patients with braces, implants, or sensitive teeth, as it is less invasive and can reach difficult areas that manual tools might miss. Overall, air polishing enhances oral health by providing a thorough and gentle cleaning, making it a valuable option for dental professionals and patients alike.
How Effective Is Air Polishing?
Air polishing is highly effective in removing surface stains, biofilm, and light calculus. The combination of air, water, and fine powder allows it to efficiently clean the tooth surface without causing damage. Surface stains caused by coffee, tea, and tobacco are effectively removed, resulting in visibly brighter teeth. Additionally, air polishing excels at eliminating biofilm, a sticky layer of bacteria that can lead to gum disease if not properly managed.
Compared to traditional dental hygiene techniques like scaling and manual polishing, air polishing offers several advantages. Traditional scaling can be more abrasive and uncomfortable, especially for patients with sensitive teeth or gum issues. While manual polishing is effective, it may not reach all the nooks and crannies where biofilm can accumulate. Air polishing, on the other hand, can access these difficult areas, providing a more thorough clean. Furthermore, it reduces treatment time and enhances patient comfort, making it a superior choice for many dental cleaning procedures.
Why Air Polishing Is Valuable
Air polishing is valuable for enhancing the patient experience and satisfaction. One of the primary benefits is the increased comfort it offers compared to traditional scaling and polishing methods. The gentle, non-abrasive nature of air polishing minimizes discomfort, making it an excellent option for patients with sensitive teeth or gums. This improved comfort level can help reduce patient anxiety and make dental visits more pleasant, encouraging regular dental care and improving overall oral health.
Additionally, air polishing is efficient and effective, leading to shorter appointment times without compromising the quality of care. It swiftly removes stains and biofilm, resulting in cleaner and brighter teeth. The ability to reach difficult areas ensures a thorough cleaning, which contributes to better long-term dental health. By providing a superior cleaning experience that is both comfortable and efficient, air polishing can significantly boost patient satisfaction and encourage repeat visits.
How Do I Choose an Air Polisher?
Typically, air polishers come in tabletop models, or handpiece designs for the ultimate in portability. Some tabletop models can accommodate both ultrasonic scaling and air polishing, but some feel the best performance is derived from single-purpose devices. There are many choices of both air polishers and tips, and it really comes down to your needs and ergonomic preferences.
Kavo’s PROPHYflex 4 is a ‘next gen’ handpiece with excellent ergonomics for less hand fatigue.
It offers a precise powder jet, perfectly balanced adjustable length, and precision perio tip ideal for natural teeth, implants, and ortho patients. The adjustable pressure feature gives you the ultimate in flexibility for supragingival and subgingival surfaces. It’s also easy to disassemble for reprocessing.
Hu-Friedy’s AIRFLOW offers desirable features like adjustable water temperature, interactive touch panel, a state-of-the-art pressurization tower that can pressurize and depressurize in seconds, and powder chambers that are easier to switch out for different treatments with no need to purge the device. Meanwhile, the Cavitron Prophy Jet from Dentsply Sirona features Tap-On Technology to improve ergonomics by reducing foot pedal usage, automatically cycling between air polish and rinse without a need to touch the pedal. Finally, lesser known but well worth considering, the AquaCare system is available in single and twin configurations, and includes a cutting function as well.
Back to the Future
Air polishing may have its roots in the 1970s, but recent improvements have brought it fully up to modern standards. In today’s busy practices, where time is of the essence and fatigue is one of the biggest threats, air polishing offers huge benefits in terms of treatment flexibility, hygienist wellness and speed. Do you have patients with perio issues, crowding, orthodontic appliances, implants or heavy stains? Of course you do, and air polishing can transform how you treat them.
To learn more about which of today’s high-tech, easy-to-use air polishers might be right for you, contact a friendly Benco Rep or call 1.800.GOBENCO.
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