Air Polishing: A Modern Approach to Dental Cleaning
Greetings to my fellow dental professionals across Australia! As we continuously seek ways to enhance patient care and embrace innovative techniques, it's crucial to understand why air polishing, particularly with advancements like erythritol + CHX powder, is becoming the preferred choice over traditional dental cleaning methods.
Our goals as dental professionals in an active maintenance check up and clean appointment should be to:
Assess the patient’s oral hygiene and periodontal health.
Educate and improve the patient’s oral hygiene.
Remove biofilm and calculus.
Create an environment that is more conducive to health that the patient feels motivated and empowered to maintain
We all know mature biofilm is the trigger for periodontal disease as well as decay. And yet calculus still holds the limelight in traditional cleans. Air polishing assisted by disclosing agents puts biofilm as the focus of our appointment - not just its removal, but getting patients themselves to see and understand biofilm removal so they can improve their daily habits. Modern dentistry aims to shift away from the old fashioned, paternal “doctors prescribe treatment to patients” mentality, and instead move towards a “we are here to assist you in controlling your disease risk” mindset.
We need to shift our focus to targeted cleaning rather than using ultrasonic scalers on every surface, which creates microroughness.
Benefits of Air Polishing
Stain Removal
Low Abrasion
Shorter Appointments
Less Operator Fatigue
• Far more effective and efficient at removing stains and biofilm, especially in grooves, under bridges and around orthodontic brackets.
• The most recommended way to clean implants as it does not roughen the implant surface.
• The extremely small particle size gives it a very low abrasion level. It does not damage dentine - unlike ultrasonic tips and hand scalers. This powder dissolves in the stream of water before hitting the tooth, giving you efficient and effective biofilm and stain removal.
• Shorter Appointment Time
• By removing the soft deposits and stain first, you minimise the need for more aggressive techniques of ultrasonic scaling and hand scaling. The overall result is improved patient comfort and less iatrogenic damage to the tooth surface.
•Less operator fatigue - there is much less strain on the operator wrist as there is no need to apply pressure on dozens of angled surfaces like there is with a rubber polishing cup.
Benefits of Erythritol Powder
Inhibits Harmful Bacteria
Safe for the Environment
Safe for Pipes
Erythritol + CHX powder is not only the least abrasive powder on the market at a particle size of only 14 microns, but it also has positive influence on the bacteria links to periodontal disease and decay.
Erythritol is a natural, non-caloric sweetener that is anticariogenic. Cariogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans cannot metabolise erythrotol and do not survive well in its presence. The addition of 0.3% chlorhexidine furthers erythritol’s inhibitory effects on biofilm due to its anti-adherence and antimicrobial properties.
It dissolves completely in water so is safe for the environment and your pipes!
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I've been using an air polishing system for the past 10 years. I was feeling frustrated with the constant blocking and technical issues I was having with my existing system. Then the new Woodpecker PT-B machine was bought to my attention. I contacted Liam and he promptly set me up with a free trial. From the first use I knew I was never sending the PT-B machine back! The machines performance is outstanding. My patients say it’s the most thorough, gentle clean they’ve ever experienced. They love the warm water, the gentle powder and the delicate yet effective ultrasonic. My DA is thrilled with the time efficient set up/shut down and maintenance of the PT-B machine. Ive been able to reduce my appointment times and my DA has been able to reduce her change over time. The Air Polish handpiece design combined with the purge function has eliminated the need for constantly sending handpieces off for maintenance. Woodpecker have taken existing technology and ironed out all the kinks. The service and support I have received from Liam at Dental Air Polishing Australia has also been flawless. He has been there for me every step of the way.
Brianna, Dental Hygenist
Boomerang Beach -
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After 20 years of using various air-polishing systems, I can confidently say that none compare to the Woodpecker PT-B system. Its exceptional 5-in-1 feature goes beyond just cleaning patients' teeth, it also supports periodontal and endodontic treatment, restoration preparation, and implant maintenance. It also features an automatic self-purging button, eliminating the need for manual cleaning which saves us time. Patients also notice the difference, experiencing enhanced comfort and results by the end of their treatment is a definite WOW factor! Additionally, it costs half as much as competitors' systems on the market, offering exceptional value for its range of features and performance. A special thanks to Liam, who flew from Sydney to Melbourne to ensure I was completely satisfied with the two-month trial, which no other competitor would offer this. His dedication played a crucial role in my decision to purchase the product, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.
Dr Naser Eshak, Principal Dentist
Innovative Dental, Moonee Ponds, VIC
