Air Polishing and Air Abrasion
Enhanced efficacy, ergonomics, portability, and patient comfort are at the forefront of advances in dental air polishing and air abrasion systems.
Air polishing is performed with propulsion of abrasive particles through a handpiece nozzle in a compressed air/water mixture, using a self-contained delivery system or one that attaches to a handpiece. Examples include an autoclavable handpiece that keeps the water separated from the air-powder jet, a unit with a built-in heater and smaller granules that are gentler to soft tissue, and a system that uses air, water, and a sodium bicarbonate or nonsodium powder slurry to remove extrinsic stain, plaque, and soft debris while polishing tooth surfaces. Cordless, lightweight air-polishing units with wireless foot pedal control are increasingly popular.
