Polishing is no longer just an aesthetic effect of removing stains - it's also about removing biofilms. That's why Nancy Miller, RDH, started using the AIR-FLOW Handy 3.0 Premium Handheld Air Polisher from Hu-Friedy three years ago. The portable device combines both functions, which are good for her and her patients.
What first drew you to AIR-FLOW Handy 3.0 Premium?
For the past 15 years or so, we have learned more about plaque from biofilms. This is a real community as a whole, resisting disruption and dismantling, which means that the gauntlets of the past are not enough. There are so many corners and cracks around the teeth and implants and prostheses that it's hard to get rid of everything.
The idea behind AIR-FLOW is to use a pressure washer just as you would when restoring a deck. You can try to scrub with a brush and prepare the deck by hand, but it is not as effective as a pressure washer. AIR-FLOW Handy 3.0 removes all the interesting dots in our mouth more effectively.
How to use this dental equipment to make your job easier?
We rely on rubber cups for years of polishing, which has its advantages and disadvantages. This method removes the biofilm but is limited to the supragingival. Rubber cup polishing takes more time, will not subgingival. By using this device, I can remove soft deposits and light spots more efficiently and effectively before using different instruments to remove hard deposits. Doing this at the outset saves me from 5 to 10 minutes of instrument time at the end of the appointment. If you only have an hour, this time is very valuable.
What are the benefits of polishing at the beginning, not the end of your appointment?
From the patient's point of view, polishing is a cosmetic product that is important to them because they need beautiful teeth. From our point of view as a clinician, we are working to cure and promote good oral health, so removing biofilms is more important. Using AIR-FLOW makes it easier to remove soft deposits than with handheld instruments. With AIR-FLOW can clean the entire oral cavity, and then use hand instruments or ultrasonic scaler to remove residue.
What are the benefits to the patient?
I want to say this is not your grandmother's air polisher. In the past, when we used the air polisher, it was gritty and not so pleasant to the patient. AIR-FLOW uses glycine powder, which has a particle size smaller than the particle size at which the focus is used only to remove stains. Due to the smaller particle size, we can aim the spray at the gum tissue. If we do this before, it will cause bloodshed and even damage dental work. Now we can use AIR-FLOW around the titanium implant and use the beautiful dentistry we have today without damaging the surface. More comfortable for the patient. It will not hurt, it will not be confused.
After polishing, the patient does not say their mouth is clean again, they say it feels silky clean. AIR-FLOW removes biofilms and stains and increases tooth surfaces. They can feel with their tongue. They get a super clean feeling and do not spend too much time.
Why do other health workers use AIR-FLOW Handy?
I encourage health workers to work smarter, not harder. Why do you use hand-held instruments to make your hands and wrists harder? If you have a power tool that can speed up the process? This is a paradigm shift.
This is the latest toolsand dental supplies to fight a biofilm. If we are really talking about healing and improving efficiency, the use of this device is crucial.
