What is airflow polishing for teeth?
Dr. D.Sendhil Nathan MDS, DNB Prosthodontics And Implantology
Air polishing (or) Airflow polishing is a non-invasive procedure to deeply clean teeth and gums. If you had received in-office teeth cleaning procedures, you would have noticed a powerful stream of water irrigated toward your teeth. It is an air polisher. With this system, dentists can clean superficial stains and remove plaques in interdental areas, ensuring your teeth are bright & clean.
Generally, teeth polishing is done before teeth scaling to loosen the calcified dental residues. Likely, periodic polishing also ensures your teeth are devoid of plaque and tartar build-up. Initially, dentists used rubber cap polishing for plaque removal. It has been replaced with air polishers nowadays.
What is Air Polishing?
Air polishing is a standard cleaning method that uses a combination of compressed air, water, and finely powdered particles. The flow of water provides an abrasive force to clean the teeth. It eliminates stubborn stains that cannot be removed with brushing and mouth rinses.
The dental air polisher system uses a small nozzle to flush the teeth with a jet of compressed air, water, and either glycine or sodium bicarbonate powder. Unlike traditional stain removal methods like manual scalars, there is no direct contact with the equipment and your teeth during airflow polishing.
Compared to traditional mechanical polishing using rubber dams and other deep cleaning treatments, it is more beneficial and efficient.
Why is air powder polishing a better option than traditional teeth cleaning methods?
Airflow polishing uses kinetic energy to clean your teeth gently and painlessly. Likewise, it encompasses various advantages. Here are a few:
1) More effective cleaning
The jet of water delivered through an air polisher’s nozzle is powerful in removing stubborn stains and biofilms and damaging plaque build-up. Moreover, air abrasion gives better access to remove discolorations and microbial build-up in deep pits on the teeth surfaces.
Besides cleaning all the surfaces and tightest gaps between teeth, air powder polishing can reach 5mm deep underneath the gum line.
Keeping the area around the teeth beneath the gums clean is mandatory to avoid periodontal infections.
2) Less gingival damage
As discussed above, abrasive force is used to clean teeth under the influence of irrigation during airflow polishing. If the water flow is adjusted properly, you can clean teeth with less damage to the oral tissues surrounding the teeth.
Compared with traditional polishing methods like polishing paste and rubber cap polishing, the gingival tissues will be mildly traumatized, so the loss of exposed dentin and cementum is also minimized with airflow polishing.
3) Suitable for people with sensitive teeth
Generally, desensitizing creams are applied before polishing the teeth for people having sensitive teeth. It makes sure the patients don’t feel any dentinal sensitivity while polishing.
However, the bicarbonate crystals in air polishing block the tubules so that the patients will not encounter any sensitive feel in their teeth during the process.
4) Eliminate stains from dental restorations
Unlike hand scalars and other polishing methods, your teeth are not touched during air scaling, and neither vibrations nor heat is produced. It implies that there will be less damage so that the jet of compressed air can eliminate stains and discolorations from dental restorations to a great extent.
If you have stubborn stains on your dental implants or crowned or veneered teeth, consult your dentist to clean the appliance with air polishing.
Bottom line
Airflow jet teeth polishing will be the finest option if you’re looking for a safe and efficient technique to remove stains from your teeth. Dental polishing removes stains and plaque buildup and gives you an intriguing smile. Hence it is paired with teeth whitening treatments in certain circumstances.
This jet wash for your teeth involves better instrumentation to ensure faster cleaning and improved patient comfort.
