Polishing and cleaning are the most common duties of dental hygienists, and selecting the right dental polishers can maximize efficiency and contribute to a positive patient experience.
For routine dental visit and other practices have added Dental air polishers or Air Prophylaxis Machines to their procedures. These systems use high-pressure air to propel special powders at a patient’s teeth.
The abrasion action of the powder provides a high quality polish. When selecting dental air polisher, it is imperative to understand the types of powders that they are compatible with. It is also important to be properly trained in air polishing in order to select patients who are good candidates before beginning the treatment.
Let’s take a look at how mechanical polishing compares to air polishing and what to look for when selecting a polisher or ceramic polishing burs.
Air polishing vs. mechanical polishing
Air polishing has been used for almost 50 years. In contrast to air-abrasive techniques, air polishing employs a mixture of air, powder and water. This fine jet is directed toward the tooth surface at an air pressure of 4-8 bars and a water pressure of 1-5 bar, leading to the removal of surface deposits.
Each method has some distinct advantages; however, there are some contra-indicators you should be aware of if you opt for air polishing. As opposed to mechanical polishing, air polishing uses a lighter hand-piece and ultrasonic scaler. It generates pressured air, abrasive powder and saltwater to remove plaque. It has been in use in dentistry since the late 1870s, according to information from the Journal of Dental Hygiene.
The advantages of air polishing include reduced time, less fatigue and efficient stain removal. Another distinct advantage of mechanical polishing is that it can be easier on gingival issues without worrying about contra-indications.
However, there are some distinct negative components associated with air polishing that must be taken into consideration. A practitioner should not use air polishers on patients with:
- a sodium-restricted diet
- Hypertension
- Respiratory illnesses
- Infectious diseases
- Addison’s or Cushing’s diseases
One other disadvantage of air polishing is that some clinicians believe that air polishing can be too abrasive on the gingival tissues.
Integrating it into your practice
Integration of air polishing offers the oral health professional new options and an enhanced approach to patient care. When determining the most effective technologies for individualized care, consideration must include evidence of oral disease, presence and level of biofilm and stain, and overall health status.
Healthy individuals with stain may be better candidates for traditional supra-gingival air polishing using sodium bicarbonate. On the other hand, patients with gingival disease may be better served by sub-gingival air polishing using glycine. Research has indicated that the use of sub-gingival air polishing prior to calculus removal has an advantageous approach to the dental hygiene process of care.
What to look for in Dental Polishers
Disposable dental polishers are typically more efficient, although there are several elements to consider when working with them.
Pay attention to the shank
If you are using a disposable plastic shank, you should make sure it does not bend. If you aren’t using one, you should remember to include time to mount the other one in your preparation time. Pay close attention to the feeling of the instrument. If they are connected improperly, there will be a wobbly sensation. As a result, the bonding of the tip to the shank is not stable. Consider getting one that comes pre-mounted with no need for cleaning or reprocessing work.
The advantages of simplicity
Be aware of how many steps your polishing process involves. In many cases, disposable polishing systems have several steps involved and it may not be clear when each one is appropriate.
Examine the neck of your dental polishers
If the neck is tampered, it cannot provide a fine appearance or better visibility as well. It may be necessary to try samples of a product to experience the difference. Using an oversized neck can hinder your visibility and straight necks sometimes present the same problems.
Dentistry and dental hygiene change by the minute. Oral health-care providers are constantly pushing to keep current with technology and research. Revisiting polishing options is beneficial to patients and clinicians. Familiarity with aerosol shield reduction devices or the difference between air polishing powders is paramount.
Air polishing is a high-quality, efficacious and efficient service. However, to obtain successful clinical outcomes, we must:
- Have the proper equipment for our patients and ourselves
- Learn to recognize and properly interpret the signals within clinical guidelines that assist us in patient selection
- Periodically revisit the assortment of air polishing equipment/powders and apply evidence-based decision-making to clinical decision-making.
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