4 HYGIENE TRIBUNE Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa Edition | 2/2019 One PLUS one equals three! Combined, EMS AIRFLOW PLUS powder and the EMS AIRFLOW Prophylaxis Master delivera unique, one-of-a-kind, clinically proven, evidence-based solution to peri-implantitis and more By E.M.S. One of the true standout dental products launched at the biennial In- ternational Dental Show in Germany in 2017 is the EMS AIRFLOW Prophy- laxis Master air polishing system and with it, the crystallisation of a much- needed solution to keeping implants and perio pockets clean. In the last 18 months, the EMS AIRFLOW brand has taken the world by storm. Suddenly, specialists, dentists and dental hygienists and therapists have a single go-to solution for im- plant maintenance and pocket re- generation. As well as prophylaxis, EMS AIRFLOW is even replacing more invasive, technique-sensitive procedures like root planing. Apart from the slick, retro look and cutting edge Swiss engineering of the EMS AIRFLOW Prophylaxis Master air pol- ishing system, the real key to its suc- cess is a symbiotic relationship with EMS AIRFLOW PLUS powder. Based on Erythritol, the patented micro- sized particles of EMS AIRFLOW PLUS have been clinically proven as highly effective time and again at removing biofi lm without damage to implant or tissue. An unexpected benefi t for EMS of the micro-sized particles of AIRFLOW PLUS means that only an EMS air polisher unit can dispense the pow- der. Trying to use AIRFLOW PLUS with a non-EMS air polisher is noth- ing short of problematic, resulting, for instance, in over-dispensing of powder and clogging. Periodontists and hygienists using the air polishing system have lik- ened it to anyone that had a PC and thought it was the same as a Mac. Like a Mac, once you try the AIR- FLOW solution, you immediately understand the difference. AIRFLOW PLUS powder was devel- oped in-house by EMS. We were ea- ger to know more, so we spoke with Marcel Donnet, the EMS Powder Technology Research Group Leader in Nyon, Switzerland and posed the fi ve most common questions dental professionals ask about EMS PLUS powder. Fig. The Guided Biofi lm Therapy protocol. Figs: The EMS AIRFLOW Prophylaxis Master and AIRFLOW PLUS powder. Marcel, fi rstly what is a powder en- gineer and what led you to this role at EMS? We come in contact with powders on a regular basis, never the wiser. Upon closer inspection, we will real- ise that powders are very complex and its behavior is neither like a solid nor a liquid (despite it, in fact, being a solid). As a result, making a powder is actually complex. A specifi c university tract does not exist for powder engineers; one must pursue a combined educa- tional plan consisting of chemical and material engineering. I received my Bachelor’s degree in chemical en- gineering; I then pursued a Master’s degree and fi nally attained my PhD from a material science department which had a laboratory working ex- clusively with powders. Whilst conducting my doctorate studies, I had the opportunity to complete a lot of high-end research on powders. This placed me in the perfect posi- tion to one day work at EMS: here we have to master the powder from the production to the mouth of the patient! Air polishing has always just been seen as a hygiene product for stain removal and we’ve all heard stories of salty and gritty tasting powders. What are some of the recent ad- vances in prophylaxis powders? When I joined EMS in 2005, air pol- ishing did not rank highly in terms of non-cosmetic usage. Today, AIR- FLOW is the new trend, the product of the future, and most in our indus- try attempt to imitate it. The shift came about, because we undertook advanced research. This research al- lowed the development of new ap- plications, better understanding of past issues and highlighted the ad- vantages powders offer. For example, the fi rst advancement made was EMS AIRFLOW PERIO pow- der, which was less abrasive than pre- vious powders and therefore allowed a fully new application: cleaning bio- fi lm in shallow pockets. This turned the powder from being cosmetic to becoming a treatment solution for the periodontist. This was a huge paradigm shift! Due to this success, we developed the EMS PERIOFLOW nozzle, which allows you to easily clean biofi lm inside deep pockets. Treating deep pockets became another success story thanks to its effi ciency, espe- cially in terms of treatment time and patient comfort. The shift from solely cosmetic application to an im- portant and effective tool for patient care was complete. This paradigm shift was formally recognised when EMS received the PLURADENT in- novation prize in 2007. The prize is signifi cant because it’s based on user questionnaires at dental trade shows over a full year. It’s the voice of thou- sands of end users. From there, our innovative journey progressed and led to the new EMS AIRFLOW PLUS powder, which com- bines the advantages of a supragingi- val and subgingival powder in one. The EMS AIRFLOW PLUS powder is unique and patented. However, it was only part of the success story. This unique, fi ne powder required a bespoke delivery system, the AIR- FLOW Prophylaxis Master. The EMS AIRFLOW Prophylaxis Master was launched in Australia last year and is the “enabler” of GUIDED BIOFILM THERAPY [GBT], the systematic, evidence-based solution for dental biofi lm management developed by EMS. GBT refers to the clinical proto- col for selectively removing the bio- fi lm that forms on hard structures of the mouth, such as teeth, resto- rations and removable appliances including dentures, using a colour disclosing technique to assist, so as to maintain and promote good oral, gum and teeth health over time. How did you come up with the idea of using Erythritol as an ingredient for the AIRFLOW PLUS powder and what else distinguishes AIRFLOW PLUS powder from other powders on the market? Innovation requires constant change and improvement. Developing a new product takes time and today, we’re developing the new products of tomorrow. When one new product fi nally comes on the market, we’re already working on the next generation. Based on this philosophy, when we released AIRFLOW PERIO powder, we were already searching for a new powder with hopefully even better characteristics. This research led us to the group of materials known as “polyol”, which are non-sugar sweet- eners. From this group, Erythritol was chosen because the powders are chemically stable and do not cause a reaction with the body. In addition, it is impervious to humidity and tastes good. The powder has been optimised by means of various tests: we revealed that this material has low abrasivity, allowing subgingival usage, but also high effi ciency, mak- ing it ideal for supragingival usage. So in the end, this material in the form that we are manufacturing it has unique balanced properties with low abrasivity and high effi ciency. Therefore, AIRFLOW PLUS is the only powder you need for more than 90% of clinical cases. It really is a universal powder. different dental materials is one of our main research focuses. We strive to offer the safest and the most effi - cient method for removing biofi lm to our end users, hence the advent of Guided Biofi lm Therapy (GBT). The GBT protocol is a scientifi cally validated method which instructs professionals on how to properly perform prophylaxis using our pow- ders and devices. We left no stone unturned. Guided Biofi lm Therapy calls for the clini- cian to: 1. Assess the current health of the pa- tient’s teeth; 2. Disclose biofi lm with a disclosing agent as it is the only guaranteed way to see existing biofi lm; 3. Motivate patients by showing them their dental biofi lm; 4. AIRFLOW the gingiva, tongue, pal- ate and supra and subgingivally up to 4mm; 5. PERIOFLOW pockets sized 4-9mm; 6. PIEZON pockets 9-10mm; 7. Check to ensure all biofi lm is re- moved and accurately diagnose car- ies; and 8. Recall patients for continued oral and overall health. These steps ensure the safety of pa- tients, implant surfaces and soft tis- sues. What happens to the powder in a patients’ mouths after treatment - does it dissolve? EMS focuses on developing solu- tions with the long-term, systemic health of patients in mind, therefore all our powders are highly biocom- patible and soluble. AIRFLOW PLUS powder dissolves in the patient’s mouth right after treat- ment ensuring there is no inhalation to the lungs. For more information contact: There are concerns that air polish- ing powders can damage soft tis- sues and implant surfaces. Is the AIRFLOW PLUS powder safe to use on all surfaces? The question of powder damaging E.M.S. Electro Medical Systems S.A. Ch. de la Vuarpillière 31 1260 Nyon - Switzerland Tel: +41 22 994 26 60 Mob: +41 79 569 12 14 Web: http://www.ems-company.com Web: http://www.ems-dent.com