Tag Archives: ultrasonic

dental equipment

The Use of Air Polishing in Dental Implants

In most currently available units, the water stream emits through a separate nozzle that may be concentric to that of the powderladen air stream nozzle. The resulting buildup of crystalline anhydrous sodium bicarbonate deposits in the lumen of the air/powder nozzle results in clogging.

More recent technology produces a slurry by introducing the water stream into the powder-laden air stream, within the spray head at a critical moment, to produce a fully homogeneous stream that is emitted from a single nozzle. This stream technology configuration has not only been shown to prevent nozzle clogging by preventing the buildup of deposits, but also results in a much more efficient cleaning action because the slurry is formed prior to emission. Air polishing devices( like dental air polisher ) were originally designed to be standalone tabletop units. They have been considered to be the equipment of choice for the hygiene department, sometimes being combined with ultrasonic scaling devices.

Dental root form implants are manufactured from a highgrade titanium alloy, the surface of which consists of a micro layer of titanium oxide. The implant surface can also be treated by plasma spraying, acid etching, sandblasting or coated with HA. The removal of plaque and calculus deposits from these implant surfaces with Dental Instruments designed originally for cleaning natural tooth surfaces can result in major alterations to the delicate titanium oxide layer. Altering the surface topography by roughening the surface may enhance calculus and bacterial plaque accumulation.

Resulting scratches, cuts or gouges may also reduce the corrosion resistancy of titanium, and corrosion and mechanical debris can accumulate in the surrounding tissue. The aim of procedures for debriding dental implants by dental implant machine should be to remove microbial and other soft deposits, without altering the implant surface, and thereby adversely affect biocompatibility. Increased surface roughness can lead to an increase in bacterial accumulation and resultant soft tissue inflammation. Because of the critical nature of the implant/soft tissue relationship, metal ultrasonic scaler tips, hand scalers or curettes should not be used as they have been shown to significantly alter the titanium surface.

Current methods for professional cleaning of implant or titanium transmucosal elements include the set of plastic ultrasonic tips or hand instruments followed by the prophy cup polishing method or various types of floss and buffing strips. The design of the permanently cemented super structure often does not allow adequate access for the prophy cup, especially in interproximal areas, and plastic instruments are not very efficient for the removal of plaque or mineralized deposits. In addition, the prophy cup and paste method may leave residual paste at the implant/soft tissue interface area.

dental equipment

Using Polisher and Scaler to Do Dental Cleaning

Dental hygienists generally use several tools during a dental cleaning, including a tooth polisher and a dental scaler. Tooth polishers buff teeth and eliminate tiny pieces of plaque. They generally have several different sized heads for cleaning hard to reach places. Scalers look a bit like metal hooks and are used to remove hard plaque, especially between teeth. Some people find the use of a scaler uncomfortable, depending on their sensitivity level, pain threshold, the length of time since the last cleaning, and the extent of plaque build-up.

During periodontal surgery, dental air polisher can prepare root surfaces detoxify them effectively and efficiently, and leave a uniformly smooth root surface that is clean and free of diseased tissues. Dentinal tubules are then occluded, which may result in decreased sensitivity. Superior growth and vitality of human gingival fibroblasts was evident when ultrasonic scaling was followed by air polishing, compared to ultrasonic scaling alone. Air polishing produced root surfaces that were comparable to manually rootplaned surfaces, and provided better access to furcations. Tissue healing following air polishing was comparable to that achieved by hand instrumentation in root preparation during periodontal flap surgery.

Use of the air polisher for stain removal involves three steps: patient selection and preparation, clinician preparation, and the actual clinical technique. Air polishing should follow a careful review of the patient’s medical and dental history, and a thorough examination of the oral hard and soft tissues. Indications and contraindications, effects on hard tissues, restorations, safety, and alternative uses should be reviewed prior to treatment planning the use of the air polisher.

Preparation of the patient should include an explanation of the procedure, removal of contact lenses, an anti-microbial rinse, application of a lubricant to the lips, placement of safety glasses or a drape over the nose and eyes, and placement of a plastic or disposable drape over the patient’s clothing. Operators should use universal precautions, including protective apparel, a face shield or safety glasses with side shields, gloves, and a well-fitting mask with high-filtration capabilities.

Future research should continue to explore ways to increase the safety of air polishing, reduce aerosol production, and increase its efficacy in periodontal therapy. Future research should include in vivo studies that directly compare the effects of ?Dental Hand Instruments; air polishers; sonic, ultrasonic, and piezo scalers; and rubber cup polishers on all tooth surfaces. In addition, these studies should attempt to control the variables of quantity of stain, abrasiveness of polishing pastes, and amount of pressure applied to each surface.

dental equipment

The Advantages of Using Dental Scaler

Many of the recognized brand names have survived the test of time, offering the benefit of reducing hand and wrist fatigue as well as tissue trauma. Common in today’s hygiene and periodontal armamentarium is the sonic or ultrasonic handpiece. Whether used only occasionally or on a routine basis, most dental professionals are familiar with sonic or ultrasonic technology in some capacity. With the utility of the products that are available today, there is no reason why every operatory should not be equipped with this technology.

The use of ultrasonic devices has dramatically improved the practice of supragingival scaling and periodontal debridement. Although ultrasonic technology has been around for decades, improvements in recent years have allowed its use to become mainstream. Ultrasonic technology in general, whether magnetostrictive (long inserts with metal rods that flex) or piezo-electric (small tips that screw onto the dental handpiece), and sonic scalers to a lesser degree, offer several advantages over hand scaling:

(1) less hand and wrist fatigue due to the light touch necessary to merely guide the scaler tip along the tooth surface.

(2) decreased treatment time, especially with heavy deposits, leaving more time for patient education or procedures such as placement of chemotherapeutic agents (ie, Arestin [OraPharma], Atridox [Collagenex Pharmaceuticals], or PerioChip [Dexcel Pharma]).

(3) more efficient removal of dental plaque and calculi with ultrasonic instrumentation.

(4) water provides continuous tissue lavage, thereby reducing the need for rinsing during scaling, since the water flow allows for high visibility throughout the procedure; this lavage also increases tissue comfort for the patient during and after the procedure.

(5) antiseptic solution can be substituted for the water to provide simultaneous irrigation/disinfection of the region being treated.

(6) gritty, pumice-based polish may no longer be necessary or indicated following scaling with ultrasonic; due to the efficient stain removal during scaling, a milder, minimally invasive paste or polish can be used, preserving the glaze on composite and porcelain restorations; less abrasive polish enhances patient acceptance and lowers post-scaling sensitivity.

Hygienists in our office rave about our new piezo-electric scalers and, more importantly, patients are very complimentary about how their mouths feel after their maintenance visits. If you have the desire to move into the world of electric scalers, or are ready to upgrade, give considerable thought to the purchase of a piezo-electric scaler. This technology will stand the test of time. It is the ultimate in ultrasonic scalers.