Air polishing with erythritol powder – In vitro effects on dentin loss

Abstract

Context: Low-abrasive polishing powders such as glycine (GLY) or erythritol (ERY) are used for subgingival air polishing. GLY was reported to possibly affect the dentin surface, while this is unclear for ERY. Aims: This in vitro study aimed to evaluate the substance loss from the dentin surface by air polishing with ERY at different settings for pressure (PR), distance (DI), and angulation of the spray jet to the surface (AJ). Materials and Methods: The in vitro testing was performed on smooth human root dentin surfaces. In 18 groups with 10 specimens each, ERY was applied with constant water supply for 5 s without moving the handpiece at the following settings: PR minimum (min), medium (med), and maximum (max); DI at 1, 3, and 5 mm; and 45° or 90° AJ. The substance loss was measured as defect depth (DD) using three-dimensional (3D)-laser profilometry. ANOVA with Bonferroni correction and α = 0.05 were used for statistical analysis. Results: The DD was statistically significantly higher at a DI of 1 mm compared to a DI of 5 mm for the respective groups of the same PR and AJ ( P < 0.05). For DI 1 mm, max PR, and AJ 90°, the maximum loss of substance amounted DD of 117 ± 43 μm. The minimal loss of substance occurred at minimal PR, 45° AJ, and a DI of 5 mm (15 μm × 20 μm). DD related directly with the parameters PR and AJ and inversely with DI. The highest influence on DD was proven for DI. Conclusions: Slight loss of dentin might occur during air polishing with ERY depending on DI, PR and AJ. The setting influences the amount of dentin loss.

Impact of air-polishing using erythritol on surface roughness and substance loss in dental hard tissue: An ex vivo study

“…For loss values, the present study was able to impressively show how invasive the use of the curette and its combination with other cleaning methods can be. Comparable results were found in other studies [ 5 , 16 – 18 ]. On the other hand, the application of air-polishing as well as rubber cup and paste on dentin resulted in only a slight loss of substance (noticeably less than 10 μm).…”

“…For substance loss, more studies that are comparable are available in the literature. One recent study by Kröger et al [ 16 ] compared the effects of glycine and erythritol powder on dentin and found no differences between the two types of powder. Furthermore, it was shown that air-polishing with low abrasive powders caused detectable but minor substance loss in dentin, confirming the findings of the present investigation.…”

Effectiveness and Clinical Performance of Erythritol Air-Polishing in Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials

“…Nevertheless, the study of Bosland et al concluded that glycine and erythritol are recommended for subgingival instrumentation due to their low-abrasion capacity, while powders with bigger particles (such as sodium bicarbonate) are indicated in supragingival approaches [ 24 , 25 , 26 ]. On the other hand, the research from Kroger and coworkers showed that at the level of dentin, erythritol produces limited hard tissues damage [ 27 , 28 ]; the low abrasiveness and the antimicrobial capacity recommends erythritol as the product of choice in removing subgingival biofilm.…”

Subgingival Use of Air-Polishing Powders: Status of Knowledge: A Systematic Review

“…Air-polishing with erythritol may cause a slight loss of dentin, influenced by the environment, as indicated by Kröger et al [65]. Applying erythritol powder with an air-polishing tool seems to be a promising method for repeatedly instrumenting residual pockets during SPT, according to Hägi et al [66].…”