What is better - Air Flow or ultrasound teeth cleaning?

• How is ultrasonic teeth cleaning performed?
• Pros and cons of ultrasonic cleaning
• Contraindications for ultrasonic cleaning
• Features of the Air Flow procedure
• Pros and cons of Air Flow
• Air Flow contraindications
• Comparative characteristics

As part of professional dental hygiene, patients are offered various methods of teeth cleaning in a dental clinic. The most popular are Air Flow and ultrasound. It is important to understand the differences between them in order to choose the option that is optimal in terms of efficiency and cost.

How is ultrasonic teeth cleaning performed?

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  If we are talking about the need to remove significant dental plaque, the doctor may decide to use a safe local anesthetic; as a rule, a special gel or solution is used that is sprayed onto the gum tissue.

• Ultrasonic waves are sent through the attachment to the surface of the teeth, which create a vibration effect and crush stones into small particles.
• At the grinding stage, the remaining stones are removed using a paste and the enamel surface is polished.
• Optionally, the surface of the teeth is fluoridated to create a protective effect.

What should you do after cleaning?

After ultrasonic or Air Flow cleaning, dentists recommend abstaining from certain foods and smoking for several hours. Otherwise, you can damage the enamel or paint it undesirable colors.

You should avoid the following products:

• too hard food;
• food with a high content of dyes (the origin of the dye does not matter);
• sour food;
• tea, coffee, chocolate, wine.

Important! If you ignore these recommendations, pigment plaque will soon form on your teeth. In addition, the enamel becomes more sensitive.

It is worth noting that in the first few days after cleaning, the patient may notice excessive tooth sensitivity, slight pain and bleeding gums. If you follow the dentist's advice, the discomfort will quickly go away.

Features of the Air Flow procedure

The high-pressure cleaning device sprays an air-water mixture in the desired direction with the addition of sodium bicarbonate (soda) particles. A convenient nozzle allows you to accurately direct a thin and powerful jet, while not only the teeth, but also the gums are treated.

Firstly, it ensures that subgingival pockets are cleaned of plaque and food residues, and secondly, it has a massage effect, especially useful for people prone to periodontitis and periodontal disease.

Stages of the procedure

In general, ultrasonic cleaning is carried out in several main stages.

1. Examination of the patient’s oral cavity, checking its problem areas, the degree of plaque.
2. Numbing problem areas, but numbing them if necessary.
3. Skyler. In this case, the device has two operating modes. The procedure is carried out with a thin stream of water or dry. The power of impact is also determined by a specialist.
4. Treatment of teeth, grinding them with a drill and a special attachment. They can also be sanded with hand tools.
5. Covering each tooth with fluoride-containing gel and varnish. It reduces the sensitivity of the enamel for 2-3 days.

Contraindications

• Cardiac arrhythmia.
• Bronchial asthma.
• Enamel hyperesthesia.
• The presence of serious diseases - hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis. In these cases, the possibility of carrying out Air Flow cleaning is determined by the doctor on an individual basis.

It would hardly be correct to consider Air Flow a full-fledged method of teeth whitening. First of all, we are talking about removing plaque and stones. However, a thoroughly cleaned enamel surface will in any case become lighter, and your smile will be brighter and more attractive.

Stages of the procedure

Air Flow teeth cleaning is carried out in several main stages.

Specialist:

1. Covers the patient's lips with Vaseline. This will prevent them from drying out.
2. Places a saliva ejector in the patient's mouth. It gets rid of saliva, which is actively released during the procedure.
3. Puts a special hat and glasses on the patient. They protect the face and hair from small particles and abrasive powder used when brushing teeth.
4. Carefully treats each tooth. It is important that the jet does not hit soft tissues or dentin. With caries and erosion, the patient may experience discomfort.
5. Covers treated enamel with a fluorine-containing compound. It consolidates the resulting effect.

Remember: the force of the jet pressure is controlled by the dentist independently.

This is how it controls the force applied to soft and hard deposits. Thanks to this, the procedure becomes more effective. In this case, plaque and food debris are carefully removed, the patient does not feel any pain.

It is also a good prevention of caries.

Comparative characteristics

The choice between ultrasound and enamel cleansing with a soda-water mixture must be made taking into account the condition of the teeth and gums. If inflammatory processes, periodontal disease or periodontitis occur, it is better to choose the ultrasound method, as it helps solve the described problems. It is also worth opting for ultrasound waves when it comes to significant and old stone deposits - in this case, Air Flow may not cope with the task, and by paying money for the procedure, you will not get the desired effect.

Air Flow is the choice of those who regularly monitor the condition of their teeth and prevent serious deposits of stones. This is a more affordable procedure that is offered in almost every dental clinic.

Comparison of methods

To sum it up, Air Flow is the ideal dental care option for anyone with crowns and implants. Also, this method is best suited for smokers, tea and coffee drinkers.

Ultrasonic cleaning is the only way to remove stone under the gum and in hard-to-reach places. This method can be used by anyone who suffers from inflammation and bleeding gums. Ultrasonic treatment sterilizes the tooth surface and has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.

Fluoridation of teeth

Depending on the condition of the tooth enamel, the dentist may suggest:

• Fluoridation of teeth will remove excessive sensitivity of the enamel. This is a coating of the crown surface with a special two-component fluoride varnish. This procedure will strengthen your teeth and protect against the harmful effects of acids and bacteria.
• Deep fluoridation - the procedure involves placing a disposable tray with active fluoride gel from Dental Resources (USA) on the jaw for 2-5 minutes. This is an intensive strengthening of enamel and prevention of caries.

Questions for doctors

Patient: “Good afternoon, I’m very worried because I made an appointment for cleaning immediately after caries treatment. Will this cause new dental problems? Will the filling be ok? If I have an appointment for braces, can I have the cleaning done the day before? Or when is the best time to do it? Thank you in advance".

Doctor: “Good day!

Dental cleanings should usually be performed before dental treatment to remove plaque. This is explained by the need to remove harmful bacteria. In exceptional cases, teeth affected by caries are first treated, which is what happened in your situation. Cleaning the filling will not harm the filling in any way.

As for braces, cleaning should be done 3-5 days before fixation. True, there are exceptions in these situations. The doctor prescribes cleaning based on special indications.”

Patient: “Hello, tell me, is there a chance of contracting any infection during dental cleaning? For example, I constantly bleed during this procedure.”

Doctor: “Hello!

There are many different microorganisms living in the human mouth, and not all of them are safe. Pathogenic microorganisms accumulate in the form of plaque or dental plaque. Such deposits are found on the top of the tooth or under the gum. Then bleeding gums can develop, and when the dentist is careful, the bleeding stops very quickly, even before the manipulations stop. To prevent bleeding from happening, you need to get rid of deposits on your teeth - maintain hygiene and constantly carry out dental cleanings.”

Patient: “Hello, I’ve been tormented by tartar for a long time, so I decided to have a dental cleaning. But I don’t want to spend money all the time. So I’m wondering: is one-time cleaning effective? Do teeth deteriorate after just one brushing?”

Doctor: “Good day!

Such procedures need to be done at least twice a year. The situation you described shows that you are predisposed to the formation of tartar, which can lead to tooth loss at a young age. In addition, harmful microorganisms that live in dental plaque can infect the entire body. Therefore, you should still consider regular professional cleaning.”

Patient: “Two months ago a filling fell out. I want to have a dental cleaning. So what is better - return the filling or have it cleaned? And isn’t extension a contraindication?”

Doctor: “Good afternoon!

First, you need to see a dentist. He will tell you what is best to do first. You can combine these two procedures. Dental growth is not a contraindication for professional cleaning.”

Patient: “Hello, I need your help. After I had ultrasound and Air Flow cleaning done, I feel severe discomfort due to the roughness of my teeth. Is this normal? Or did the doctor make a mistake during the procedure? And what does this threaten me with?

Doctor: “Hello!

Rough tooth enamel can be explained by the characteristics of the surface, or you still have dental plaque. It's difficult to judge because I don't see the whole picture. It’s better to go to your dentist, who will draw conclusions based on the examination. Don’t delay going to the doctor, as rough enamel can injure your tongue.”

Patient: “Hello, about a week ago I had ultrasonic cleaning and was advised to rinse with Miramistin, and also recommended Metrogyl Denta and Imudon. I still can’t eat anything except cereals and soft yoghurts. Every day I notice deterioration. My gums are constantly inflamed, my head and throat hurt. What should I do?

Doctor: “Good afternoon!

1. Continue rinsing your mouth and throat with Miramistin; I also recommend adding herbal infusions (chamomile, for example).
2. For damaged areas, use Solcoseryl. This is a special gel that relieves pain and inflammation and promotes healing. You can use sea buckthorn or rosehip oils, or take Imudon. Vitamin A also helps. Apply them using cotton swabs.
3. Change the brush to a softer one.
4. Be sure to visit a therapist if your head and throat continue to hurt.”

Cleaning with braces

Quite often, treatment with braces makes it difficult to thoroughly clean teeth. As a result, plaque and deposits can accumulate around orthodontic structures, for which the Air Flow system is ideal for removing. A targeted fine stream will gently clean the surface of the teeth and help maintain the necessary oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment.

The appearance of bacterial and pigment plaque, soft and dense deposits inevitably leads to the development of caries. Its progression provokes the appearance of such serious dental diseases as periodontitis and pulpitis - in this case, tooth loss is inevitable. Professional teeth cleaning using the modern Air Flow device helps stop the development of possible complications.

What is tartar

Dental deposits are formed for various reasons: as a result of poor hygiene, bad habits, consumption of certain coloring products, and characteristics of the body as a whole. Soft plaque provides a breeding ground for the development of bacteria that damage dental and periodontal tissues. The stone is formed from hardened plaque, accumulating on the roughness of the tooth enamel above and below the gum, and can cause:

• destruction of the integrity of tooth enamel;
• bad breath;
• aesthetic problem (due to color deposits);
• caries development;
• development of gingivitis and periodontitis.

The clinic will offer you various methods of cleaning deposits: