hygiene the international C.E. magazine of dental hygiene

I 07hygiene 1_2012 C.E. article_ air polishing I _The concept of air polishing is based on a tech- nology developed by Dr. Robert Black in 1945. Black invented a device called the Air Dent, which used compressed air, water and a highly abrasive powder to eliminate pain from cavity preparation, making anesthesia unnecessary. While the Air Dent presented many problems, the technologyrepresentedthefirststepinair-polishing devices.Airpolishingwasfirstmarketedin1976,and from that time forward it became widely available. Air-powder polishing is accomplished by the propulsion of abrasive particles through a mixture of compressed air and water through a handpiece nozzle. The handpiece nozzle through which the slurry is propelled is activated with a foot control. The air pressure produced, measured in pounds per square inch (psi), depends on the type of air-powder polisher being used. Air-powder polishers are manufactured as sepa- rate handpiece units that attach directly to the air/ water connector on the dental unit as a separate device or in combination with an ultrasonic scaler. _Indications for use Coronal polishing is a cosmetic procedure de- signed to remove extrinsic stains from the enamel surfaces of the teeth. This can be accomplished by abrasion and erosion of the extrinsic stain. The most common technique for stain removal is rubber cup polishing. This technique uses an abrasive polishing agentandaslowlyrevolvingpolishingcuptoabrade stainfromthetoothsurface.Air-powderpolishingis accomplished by erosion of extrinsic stains by sus- pended abrasive particles within a moving fluid. Ki- netic energy propels the air-powder polishing slurry particles against the tooth surface, thus removing stain (Figs. 1a, b). The air-powder polisher is shown to be efficient, safe and effective in removing extrinsic stain and plaque biofilm from tooth surfaces. It is equally ef- fective in decreasing root surface roughness after instrumentation.Itisalsoreportedtoremoveplaque biofilmandstainingaseffectivelyasarubbercupand does so in less time.2 Patients often exhibit extensive Air polishing Authors_Salim Rayman, RDH, MPA, and Elvir Dincer, DDS This article qualifies for C.E. credit.TotaketheC.E.quiz,log on to www.dtstudyclub.com. Subscribers to the magazine may take this quiz for free and willbeemailedanaccesscode after the magazine’s release. If you do not receive the code, contact support@dtstudyclub. com. Non-subscribers may take the quiz for $20. You can accessthequizbyusingtheQR code below. _c.e. credit part I Figs. 1a, b_Removal of extrinsic stains. (Photo/Provided by Yosi Behroozan, DDS, DENTSPLY Professional) Fig. 1a Fig. 1b